Further to AMK, A Sincere Apology, and the Bhagvadgita

Submitted by Rakshas 10 Anan (India), Dec 6, 2005 at 23:11

Dear AMK,

Here's a personal apology on behalf of like-minded Hindus, for the references to the tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake. It was provoked by your gloating remark on the demographic takeover of the world by followers of Islam.

We have taken this latter threat in our stride too, since it will not happen in our lifetimes, and perhaps, never!

As a Hindu, I believe in the divinity imbuing the cosmos, as the motivator of all things good and evil, with the force of good always triumphing over the evil. Whever I have tried to read the Quran with all pious intention, I have not made any progress since it unfailing bores me to tears after reading a couple of 'verses'. To my mind, poetry is the highest expression of the spirit, and why a holy book must be so uninspiring to read is something I will never understand.

Returning to your remark. Nobody danced in the streets of India after the earthquake. Not even because Pakistan had lost 3 whole army brigades, and its international terrorist legions! To the contrary. Help was immediately offered, and very gracelessly accepted days later, after thousands of lives were needlessly lost while Pakistan was busy transporting troops to its borders to replace those lost in the earthquake.

Even now, there's people facing epidemic and bitter winter cold, and it is not possible to understand why the Ummah is not doing enough for its frontline jihadi State. Why must Islamic nations nurturing the terrorists against secular nations still have to depend on the Satan and his allies for survival? How can Allah be so cruel, even in his temporary testing ruse, while the kaffirs manage to scrape through? The hand of God theory was rife among the Kashmiris themselves immediately after the devastation!

If Kashmir was the core issue for Pakistan against India for all these years, why is Pakistan unable to help the Kashmiri Muslims in their greatest hour of need, while in fact India was quick off the mark despite the upsurge of brutal terrorist attacks in the wake of the earthquake?

I genuinely wish to understand this strange behaviour on the part of those who would convince us about the superiority of their ideology and their way of life.

As for the Bhagvadgita, its essence is the four-fold path of evolution offered to all comers, free of caste. The Mahabharat war also was a casteless war involving the entire humanity at that time. You may not know this, but even certified impotents were there, active on the battlefield! There were no fence sitters. It also offers a horrific description of the holocaust, to dissuade war-mongering.

Other divine incarnations, like that of the Sage Parashuram, who freed the earth of warmongers 27 times -- meaning in every age in known history in ancient times -- points to the futility of war for selfish or expansionist ends!

The Bhagvadgita offers the path of knowledge to the intellectually inclined, the path of yoga to those who wish to directly experience divinity, the path of detached duty to those inclined to work and humanitarian service, and the path of devotion and love of God for the remaining (lauded by most as the highest path of all).

It frees people from injunctions of caste and ritual, offering a direct means of evolution through meeting Self. Its highest message is to do one's duty with fearlessness and courage in the face of all odds, with detachment and without expectation about the end result. This is why it continues to inspire the higest thinkers in the land.

For your information, Arjuna was the greatest warrior who ever lived, the best among men, and close friend of Krishna. He was utterly befuddled when he saw the teachers, counsellors and family ranged against him the war. Being human, he was given to natural doubt and confusion. He did not wish to fight for his rights if it meant killing those whom he loved and respected; more so because he was utterly confident of his ability to destroy them in all fairness even on the batlefield, fighting a defensive war!

With great patience and compassion, Krishna teaches him what life is about, and that the warrior not abandon his duty in the face of evil bearing its many masks! I am sure that this is the chief inspiration that explains why Hindus continued to fight against daunting odds in the centuries-long jihadi onslaught, to save their faith in freedom, goodness and cherished religious values! The lesson is especially pertinent in present times!

This much explanation is offered since you raised questions in the first place. I am not in the habit of peddling scriptural wares loosely to all and sundry. It doesn't make any difference at that level. Spirituality and evolution are hardly matters of one-upmanship. I am a busy man, and often I have to quickly write in-between coffee and breakfast, or late into the night, since I am otherwise on the run, pursuing my work interests.

I respect people like Dr. Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Ali Sina and others who seek to bring the clear light of fact, logic and understanding into an arena where there's so much deliberate obfuscation. I see them doing their highest duty in extremely troubled times, in the spirit of the Bhagvadgita. It stands as the simple essence of the Vedas and Upanishads, motivating high thinkers and leaders of men through ancient times.

In the hope that sanity, truth and universal Love will prevail over doubt, confusion and motivated propaganda,

Rakshas 10 Anan

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".