(c) John, Rekesh
2004-2008. No part of this work may be copied or reproduced without the
author's permission
16. War
Aliyah
on war, the hidden meaning of the Mahabharata, and the forgiveness of
sins.
“The madness
of war!” exclaimed Eloise, gazing at the endless rows of gravestones
and crosses that stretched from where she stood, seemingly all the way
into infinity. “How can it even exist in a spiritual universe? Yet many
religious scriptures are steeped in war!”
Eloise
had attended a candlelight vigil the previous day, on the anniversary of
an act of war on her country.(1) She
had found herself highly emotional throughout its proceedings, and
greatly perplexed as to the logic of it all. A subsequent visit to the
national memorial cemetery did nothing to improve her morale.
“Some
say it has to do with the so-called eternal conflict between good and
evil,” replied Emma, taking her hand. “Scriptures use them as
illustrations to tell you what you should and not do.”
Emma
still frequented Aliyah’s family, and had even become a mentor to the
young girl.
“Yeah? Well, some of those
illustrations are simply disgusting! Read them and you wonder why people
consider them holy scripture at all! Don’t you think a lot of evil in
the world has come from religions?” Eloise questioned.
“Shh!”
admonished Emma.
Aliyah placed her offering of
roses in front of the grave. The white tombstone had a name etched on
it, which was slowly fading from the onslaught of the elements through
the many years it had stood there. She hung her head, whispered a prayer
and stood in silence for a while. Sunlight poured through the trees and
reflected on her hair, highlighting streaks of grey and white amid lush
tresses. Then she turned away slowly from her father’s grave.
Aliyah
walked towards Eloise, gathered her in her arms and the pair retraced
their steps towards the chapel, followed by Emma close behind. They
walked in silence till Emma caught up with them. Then Aliyah said in a
low tone,
“I heard your question, Eloise!”
“I’m
sorry, Mom! I couldn’t help it!”
“That’s okay,”
Aliyah smiled, “perhaps we can talk about some of your questions on
scriptures and war.”
“You will? I mean, why
religions cause war and all that?”
Aliyah paused
for a moment, considering her daughter.
“Scriptures
are accelerators of what we carry within, Eloise, like the
acceleration we talked about earlier!"(2) she said gently. “They provide an impetus
for many natures within us to develop faster, those seeds of what you
might call good and evil.”
“Oh, they are not
promoting only good? I thought they were supposed to!”
“Well,
I am going to be really melodramatic here! What you’d call the
forces of good and evil or of order and chaos, they have equal rights.
Otherwise it wouldn’t be fair, would it?”
“Fair?
Why should it be fair towards evil? Why can’t everything be of the
light?”
“Well, one of the reasons for us to be
here is to discover ourselves and our natures, Eloise! Without
expressing, understanding and even cleansing many of those, a soul
cannot make progress. But how can we even discover and cleanse negative
impressions if there is no opportunity?”
Eloise
did not respond.
“Scriptures help express many of
our natures, by accelerating their development. A lot of good and a lot
of evil that we see in history are a result of that acceleration. It’s
not the scriptures that are at fault; we are simply meeting ourselves.”
“I
thought scriptures were meant for our edification!”
“They
serve that purpose, yes. But the same scripture which provides
inspiration to those who seek higher wisdom, can also feed a religious
fanatic and a rabid terrorist. Many viewpoints you carry can be
accelerated by scriptures. If you prefer to go lower, that is available.
Any time you are ready for a higher viewpoint, the selfsame scripture
can also show you the way.”
“Mom, that may be! But
there are plenty of scriptures that talk about the wrath of God, how He
curses people and takes revenge. You see so much of bloodshed and
cruelty in these stories. And the same thing happens in the world today.
Surely God cannot be like that?”
“Does that
really bother you?”
“You bet it does! I think any
rational person would wonder about it!”
“But there
are millions who find it perfectly acceptable!”
“I
don’t understand it, Mom! They may find it acceptable, but not me! God
cannot be wrathful, jealous and punishing!”
“Eloise,
both viewpoints are correct, yours as well as theirs!” said Aliyah, as
they approached the chapel.
“Mom! What are you
saying? The two are like night and day. How can both be right? That
would be incredible!”
“Really? That’s because
truth is beyond good and evil. Our perception of truth makes us
see it in one of many ways, as good or evil in some cases.”
“Well,
maybe, Mom! But you haven’t answered my question. How can both be
true?”
Aliyah studied her daughter silently for a
moment.
“Eloise, it’s not difficult to understand
at all. I did tell you about the law of retribution, of sowing and
reaping, didn’t I?” (2)
“Yes.”
“Do
you have complaints about that impersonal law of justice?”
“No,
Mom! It makes more sense than a vengeful and jealous God! You have also
said that it is a force that brings us progressively closer to the
Godhead.”(3)
“See?
Many of us think of these laws as impersonal and we have no problems
with it. But we need not always consider them as impersonal.”
“What
do you mean, Mom?”
“If you had a personal relationship
with what you consider as the Godhead, how would this law be expressed
in that relationship?”
“I don’t
understand, Mom!”
“What I mean is that the laws
can also become personified when you establish a personal relationship
with the Godhead. The laws are then expressed, depending on the nature
of the relationship!”
“You mean the laws
become a person?”
“Well, the laws are not separate
from the Godhead. When expressed in a relationship, a law could find
expression personally as ‘I will destroy your wives and your
children and I will give your land to an invader, unless you turn away
from your ways!’”
“Such messages always came
through prophets,” continued Aliyah, “who had a personal relationship
with the Godhead. Their experiences were dependent on the nature of
their relationship, and intensely personified. The expressions of the
laws then became prophetic warnings of doom and disaster, and of a
wrathful and jealous God.”
“You mean they were
wrong in their perception, Mom?”
“I didn’t say
that, Eloise! Only that both viewpoints are correct. You must learn to
make your own choices! Now let’s sit down here for a minute.”
They
settled down on the neatly trimmed lawn in front of the chapel. Eloise
regarded her mother curiously and considered this new viewpoint. It
seemed to have some validity, as she could view the laws as impersonal
or personal, depending on her preference.
“Maybe
you have a point, Mom!” she replied thoughtfully. “But I still find it
difficult to see anything good in any scripture that is peppered with
bloodshed and war!”
“It depends on what you
observe,” replied Aliyah. “A scriptural story of bloodshed and war can
have higher meanings beyond the literal reading.”
“Oh,
really? Then show me even one scripture where bloodshed and war can
mean anything higher!”
“I can relate to that!” intervened Emma, who had been silent
throughout the exchange. “There is this great epic of the Far East which
I have been reading. It is the story of a great war . It is considered
scripture by millions. What you just mentioned, about a higher point of
view in a war story, just came to mind.”
“Which
story is that, Emma?” Eloise seemed curious.
“Well,
it’s the story of five princes and their war.The war is with their
cousins and their armies. I’m
sure you’ve heard about it.”(4)
“Yes,
I’ve read it long ago,” replied Eloise. “What did you find in it?”
“Well,
one might pass it off as a great novel with all the twists and turns,
though it is supposed to be based on history. But soon you realize that
the author is not biased the way many historians are. Even though the
story is commonly regarded as the triumph of good over evil, the good
people in it are not absolutely good and the evil are not absolutely
evil. The armies even stop fighting every evening and warriors visit
each other. This made me think.”
“You mean they
are all symbolic?” asked Eloise.
It was Aliyah who
answered, “You know, Eloise, most scriptures are masterpieces of
penmanship. They have multiple meanings, not just the symbolic. But I
guess Emma is referring to a symbolic aspect of the story.”
“Yes!”
said Emma as she made a face, “Though I wouldn’t have quite put it that
way!”
“Okay, then, tell us what you found as a
higher viewpoint in a war story!” said Eloise.
“Well,”
began Emma, “your mother continues to have a curious influence on me!
So much so that I have even looked into the so-called science of the
planets. Are you familiar with it?”
“You mean how
planets don’t control us, but function more like a clock or
calendar that we look up? Yes, Mom told me about that!” (5)
“Then you won’t
be scared off if I mention Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and so on?”
“No!
I am aware of how people mistakenly think that these planets
affect their lives.” (5)
“Great!
Now did you also know that the ancients associated the human hand with
these planets, too?”
“No! Why would they?”
“Well,”
remarked Aliyah, “the hand is our primary means of action in the world.
Just like the planets were used to describe a calendar and lessons and
tests in life, it made sense to them to use the hand too.”
“You
mean symbolically, like the planets?”
“Yes.” This
from Emma. “The five fingers represent five major lessons and tests we
must face in life. The ancients considered each finger as associated
with a planet, and representing a major lesson and a major test in
life.”
“I see, so those five princes correspond to
the five fingers? The war story corresponds to the lessons and tests in
life?”
“There you are! The curious part is how
the story makes no direct mention of this. But it’s there if you look!”
“Well,
then tell me about the princes!” Eloise settled down and looked at Emma
in anticipation.
“All right, then!” Emma laughed.
“Let’s start in order, with the thumb. What do you see special about
it?”
“Well, it is stronger for sure, compared to
the others.”
“Yes, it is the strongest and
thickest finger on the hand, and symbolic of strength, power and
aggression. It is supposedly ruled by Mars, associated with aggression
and war. Mars represents aggressive energy, pure and simple.”
“Okay,
so one of the princes is like that?”
“Yes,”
agreed Emma, “One of the princes is this huge, strong guy. Even his name
means ‘giant’.(6) You find him
very aggressive, often angry and sometimes unforgiving. Now Mars rules
Aries, whose symbol is the ram. And you know what the term ‘rammed’
means!”
“Interesting!” said Aliyah. “I guess this
prince is symbolic of controlling our energies. How to deal with anger
and aggression, how to forgive, even turn the other cheek. That
represents a major test of soul progress.”
“That’s
what I think too. Now, the forefinger is ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter also
rules Sagittarius, whose symbol is the archer. And what do you know,
another prince is a master archer!” (7)
“What’s
archery got to do with life?” asked Eloise.
“According
to the ancients, the Jupiter finger is the finger of faith,” replied
Aliyah. “Even the name, Jupiter, comes from Zeus Pater, implying God the
Father.”
“But how is that connected with
archery?”
“Well, faith is that quality within us
which helps us reach our goals in life. Hit our target, so to speak. I
don’t mean faith in God per se, but at least faith in ourselves. It is
not by accident that we use the forefinger to point at things. The
action and use of faith is like the archer and his arrow.”
“Interestingly,
it is to this prince that the Godhead reveals an aspect of itself. So
the connection with faith and God is even stronger,” added Emma.
“I
see!” smiled Aliyah. “The crisis of faith, one way or another, is an
important test of the soul. Very few can avoid that test in life. I
believe this prince had such an experience?”
“Well
yes, he faces an enormous crisis of decision and almost gives up. But
support from a godly figure reassures him and sets him back on his path.
This incident also gives rise to a whole philosophy of life.”(8)
“Okay, I see
the connection with God and faith,” replied Eloise. “What about the
middle finger?”
“The middle finger is the tallest,
and the corresponding prince is the eldest of them all,” continued
Emma. “This finger is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is considered the bringer
of retribution, evil and despair; the negative effects of reaping what
we sow. Saturn also rhymes with Satan, the so-called tempter, who’s
supposed function is similar.”
“That’s a curious
association!” exclaimed Eloise.
“The association
goes further that you think!” said Aliyah. “Saturn rules Capricorn,
whose symbol is the goat, which too is a symbol of Satan or devil. Here
is another example of the impersonal versus the personal!”
“Okay,
so the middle finger represents evil?”
“Not
quite! It represents tests and lessons related to doing the right thing,
discerning good from evil and being righteous. It also represents the
trials of retribution for past actions.”
“I see,
so is this prince righteous or evil?”
“He is the
most righteous person in the story,(9) one
who cannot tell a lie and who is extremely just. But he is also weak in
some ways, unable to always discern good and evil, and most
importantly, act on it. This discernment is an important test in life,
the ability to choose and act rightly in a situation.”
“He
messes up, does he?”
“Well, he is a stickler for
righteousness, sometimes going by the letter of the law, rather than its
spirit. The events that lead to the war are shown as an outcome of his
temptation and his fall. He gambles his kingdom, his brothers and his
own freedom away, not once, but twice. We see that he learns his lessons
the hard way. His tests are always of choosing between the right and
the wrong in a situation, even to the finest shade of distinction. He
manages to retain his righteousness and sharpen his judgment through
most of it, but he isn’t perfect.”
“So his life is
a trial of his righteousness?”
“Exactly! The
events that befall him are all engineered to test him in that area.”
“Okay,
what about the other princes?”
“I gather that they are twins , though not identical twins.(10) One of them is extremely handsome and
sensual, and the other is a brilliant and knowledgeable statesman who is
also very proud of his knowledge.”
“How does that
relate to the ring finger and the pinky?”
“The
little finger is ruled by Mercury, a bisexual god. The test represented
by this finger is that of sexuality, which this handsome prince is said
to fail in the end. The ring finger is ruled by the Sun, which
represents brilliance. It represents the test of wisdom and knowledge,
which the other prince also failed because of his pride. This finger
also represents the test of love, that is, the ability to distinguish
love from the sexuality represented by the other finger. These are like
twins for many people. Note that we wear the wedding band on this
finger, a symbol of love.”
“Is that why the
princes are twins?”
“Well, Mercury rules Gemini,
whose sign is the twins. Now, keep all the fingers of your palm straight
and then bend the little finger. You will see that the ring finger also
bends! The two are coupled, or couplets, like twins!”
“Yes,
they represent the lessons and tests of love,” added Aliyah, “usually
through separation and heartbreaks, which must come. That’s how many of
us learn to love through the heart alone, as distinct from physical
infatuation. The coupling indicates that we still have some way to go in
clearly distinguishing them.”
This wasn’t much to
Eloise’s liking and she decided to change tracks. “Okay Mom, but don’t
you think these are just some funny odd coincidences?”
“I
doubt it, for there is even more!” replied Emma. “The war is also a
struggle for control of the throne, in the capital city where they live.
And the name of this city (11) is
derived from a common word that means ‘hand’. Too many coincidences, if
you ask me!”
“Alright, then. But what about the
enemy in the story? Do they have symbolic meanings too?”
“Yes!”
replied Emma. “Their enemies are numerous. Many of those names have
meanings like, ‘difficult to conquer in battle’, ‘difficult to subdue’,
‘one with a bad countenance’, ‘ one who sees evil’ and so on.(12) Those names directly point to various
natures and sentiments within us. They are not all of a bad kind, only
when applied wrongly.”
“I see, so the battle is
within!”
“Curious!” added Aliyah. “That’s why both
sides are depicted as members of the same family. They are symbolic of
natures within us, and therefore they are family!”
“The
battlefields of life, eh?” Eloise laughed.
“Yes!”
agreed Emma. “The story goes on to say that the princes fail in some
test or other and are forced to enter hell before entering paradise. In
paradise they find that their enemies, the so-called dark seeds, have
been transmuted through all their trials, and are also with them! So you
see, the story indicates that the trial, tribulation and transmutation
of our natures is the purpose behind the battlefields of life!”
“I
see. So there is something higher to be found
in a story of war!” agreed Eloise. “You think such a scripture can also
accelerate evil within us?”
“Most scriptures are
written in such a way that you could find support for what you want to
see!” replied Aliyah. “In this case, you could use it as an excuse to
support war on your kin, or believe that death in battle is a ticket to
heaven, or even that religion is all nonsense.”
“I
see, so I have to be careful in reading them!”
“Yes,”
agreed Aliyah. “But reading and following them is a good way of getting
to know ourselves better, and for progressing along our chosen paths.
Even the scriptures we are attracted to are a reflection of our
choices.”
“How would I progress, Mom?”
“Simply
watch what all rises up within you, and also in those around you who
are following the scriptures. Then choose an interpretation and action
based on the fruit it produces, whether it moves you towards greater
unity or towards greater separation. Remember that the movement of unity
is towards the Godhead, and that of separation, away from
it. The scriptures will then take you along the path of your choice.”
* * *
“You seemed to have ignored
her real question of why war exists in a spiritual universe,” Emma
commented as soon as Eloise wandered off into the distance.
“I
know. She isn’t quite the age where she can comprehend, or even needs
to,” replied Aliyah, gazing thoughtfully after her daughter.
“I
must say I find it difficult as well. What do you have to say about it?
There is so much meaningless suffering in war.”
(Continued in the book...)
Footnotes:
1.
Consider the 9-11 attacks on US soil
2. See chapter 'Chaos'
3. See
chapter 'Tree of Knowledge'
4. The Mahabharata: The five princes are called the Pandavas, and
their cousins, the Kauravas
5. See chapter 'Rhythm'
6. Prince
Bhima
7. Prince Arjuna
8. The Gita
9.
Prince Yudhishtira
10. The princes Nakula and Sahadeva
11. Hasthinapura: The capital city in the Indian epic of the Mahabharata; the residence of
the main players of the story. The name is usually considered a
derivation of Hasthin (elephant) and Pura (city)
implying: City of the Elephant(s). The name also allows a more
interesting derivation: Hasth (hand/palm), ina
(belonging or pertaining to), Pura (city). Translated: The city
of the hand.
12.
Duryodhana, Dushasana, Durmukha, Durdharsha etc.