Yaksha Prashnam - 3

By Chitra Devraj

With the grace of our Guruji and the blessings of all great Mahatmas, I am before you with the next part of Yaksha Prashna sathsang.


INTRODUCTION TO KSHATRIYAS:

The four varnas (not castes) – Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra play a very important role in the picture of the World/creation. The varnas are assigned as per the Gunas and Karmas (actions) and not by birth.When Brahmaji was involved in the job of procreation, due to toil and perspiration, a negative energy emanated from him. This negative energy took the form of two asuras Madhu and Kaitabha. They were evil and inhuman souls. They tortured Brahmaji. Brahmaji appealed to Lord Vishnu who immediately appeared and destroyed the two asuras. He explained to Brahmaji that when the positive energy is utilized, the negative energy also emanates and that a special race of humans should be created to protect the entire human race. Brahmaji meditated on it and at the end of the fourth day, different forms of energy for the human race were formed out of Brahma’s body. The Kshatriyas were formed from the arms of Brahma’s body. The Kshatriyas are the warriors, ruling class with two primary duties 1) to govern the land and 2) to wage war. They follow the rules written in our scriputres (Dharma-raja), with the main duties to protect his subjects and livestock.

How colors play a beautiful role in a picture, the four varnas (not castes) – Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra play a very important role in the picture of the World/creation. The varnas are assigned as per the Gunas and Karmas (actions) and not by birth (Bhagavad Gita says that it is ‘guna karma vibhagasah’).

WHAT OF KSHATRIYAS? WHEREIN LAYS THEIR DIVINITY?

It lies in the arrows and weapons. (Divinity is always related to the purity of mind. Purity of mind is the result of doing one’s duty with total love and dedication. The duty of a Kshatriya is to protect the country and the people. It is not only applicable to the kings but also to the present set up of ruling class of ministers. We know how many of our soldiers have keen vigilance in the borders, day and night to protect us. The weapons in the hands of Kshatriyas/soldiers make them divine because they use it to protect the lives of good people. Recent act of terrorism in Bombay is unforgettable to us. How our soldiers came forward to protect the innocent people taking the risk of losing their own lives! The soldiers (Karkare, Unnikrishnan) had given their lives in the act of protecting people. That is a divine action. The same weapon in the hands of terrorists is sinful because it was used for the destruction, motivated by selfish desire and anger).

WHAT IS THEIR PRACTICE WHICH MAKES THEM PIOUS?

They perform sacrifices and that makes them pious. (Sacrifice is not giving up what we don’t like. Sacrifice is giving up things for the good of others at the right place and at the right time and also what is important to us. The whole life of the ruling class or the soldiers is a sacrifice. They sacrifice their hunger, time, sleep and even the very life itself. All the sacrifices are not for the good of their families or their own self, but for the good of many people. This is the ideal state of Kshatriyas given in our dharma.

Bheeshma in his talks on ‘Dharma of a king’ says: ‘The worship of mother, father and preceptor are the most important duties. These three should be worshipped and their commands should be obeyed implicitly. They are like three fires that have to be worshipped daily. Serving them one crosses this world of misery and attains to happiness’.

A Kshatriya is employed in the deed of fierceness. In his case, sacrifice and giving gifts becomes cleansing agents for him. The kings part with their wealth and other valuables by conducting yajnas lead by great rishis and Brahmanas. The yajnams are conducted for the good of the kingdom and the people. The truthfulness and selflessness of the king and the respect he has for the devotees in the kingdom makes him pious. He offers himself as a sacrifice in the act of ruling).

LIABILITY TO DEATH MAKES BRAHMINS LESS DIVINE. WHAT OF KSHATRIYAS?

In their case it is liability to fear. (Fear is not the quality of a Kshatriya. One who is strong and brave only can protect himself and also others. A Kshatriya is a man of action. When Arjuna saw his own relatives, gurus, friends and brothers arrayed in the opposite side, told Krishna that he did not want to fight. Lord Krishna explains in many slokas that the duty of a Kshatriya is to fight. He says to Arjuna that ‘War is the open gate to heaven. If you win, you have the heavenly kingdom here. If you die, it becomes ‘veera swargam’. And every Kshatriya waits for such an opportunity to fight for Dharma. If our soldiers have feared to enter Taj hotel or Narimann House, what would have happened? The fear makes one not to perform one’s duty with love. Whenever the selfish thought demands attention, we fall down from our divinity).

TELL ME ABOUT SACRIFICES. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE SAMA IN A SACRIFICE? AND YAJUS? THERE IS SOMETHING WHICH IS THE REFUGE OF SACRIFICE. WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR SACRIFICE?

Life is the Sama and mind is the Yajus. (The Sama Veda concerns the knowledge of chants. Sama means ‘melody’. This Veda is based on the Rik Veda. The hymns are addressed to Soma(moon), Agni(fire) and Indra(the God of Heaven). The life has emerged from that ultimate reality, the one source of many. If the senses(Indra) are in control, the fire(knowledge) which is already inside us makes our life complete(moon). We are in harmony with the creation, which consists of Nature and the Divine Agencies, the Devas, who control the forces of nature,when we are not behind the senses (when we are not selfish). Life becomes a wonderful, pleasant music by itself.

Yajur Veda is the sacrificial formula + veda knowledge. It talks in great detail about the sacrifices. The best sacrifice is the offering of one’s mind at the feet of the Lord. The renouncing of doership and the enjoyership is the highest of all sacrifices which takes one to the light of knowledge. The mind is the one which takes one towards attachment, when we don’t give up anything in life and the same mind becomes the cause of liberation, if it is offered to God.

Rik is the refuge of sacrifice. It is Rik which is essential for sacrifice.(The Rik veda is the foremost of all Sruti literature. One of the most important ideas that came out of the Rik Veda is the cosmic order named Rta. Rta means “cosmic and sacred order”, an ultimate and harmonic structure of reality. This is named now as Sanatana Dharma or ‘righteousness forever’.

It deals in great detail about the ‘Atma Jnanam’. Everyone’s action is a contribution to the world. When we don’t contribute, we disturb the harmony of the surroundings. Whatever we are enjoying today is somebody’s sacrifice, it may be a known or unknown source. This Veda makes one realize the greatness of sacrifice and makes one live with the truth. It is only by giving up man grows and not by holding on to things).

CONCLUSION

Sacrifice is highlighted in all the answers of Yudishtira. Bhagavad Gita says “Parasparam bhavayantah shreya param avaapsyatha” - Mutually cherishing, you shall attain to highest good. It is the success formula in any stage of life. Let us always think of good for others in all our actions. The Lord is said to be the ‘Yajna Purusha’. The whole of the cosmos is His body or His expression. Whatever action we do should be the best as we do offer the best fruit or a best flower to the Lord. It is through selfless attitude and love we can purify our mind and in that purified mind alone the Lord can express Himself the best. Let us make ourselves the best instrument in the Hands of the Lord.

Hari Om!