Forest And Field In Dharma Discussion
In the Sama Veda, the hymns of the Rig Veda are turned into melodies. These melodies are classified ito two groups: the forest songs ranya-gaye-gana or Forest Songs, and rama-gaye-gana or Settlement Songs. his divide plays a key role in the nderstandingof dharma. Forest is the default state of nature. inthe forest, there are rules. The fit irvive and the unfit die. The stronger, the smarter, have access to food. The est starve. There is no law, no authority nd no regulation. This is called 'matsya yaya' or law of the fishes, the vedic univalent of the law of the jungle. This prakriti, visualised as Kali, the wild oddess who runs naked with unbound air, of the puranas. Humans domesticate the forest to irn the forest into fields and villages r human settlement. Here, everything tamed: plants, animals, even humans, codes of conduct, duties and rights. Here, there is an attempt to take care of the weak and unfit. This is the hallmark of sanskriti or civilisation, visualised as Gauri, the docile goddess who is draped in a green sari, and whose hair is tied with flowers, who takes care of the household. The Ramayana tells the story of Rama who moves from Ayodhya, the settlement of humans, the realm of Gauri, into the forest, the realm of Kali. The Mahabharata tells the story of the Pandavas who are born in the forest, then come to Hastinapur, and then return to the forest as refugees, and then once again return to build Indraprastha, then yet again return to the forest as exiles, and finally, after the victory at war, and a successful reign, they return to the forest following retirement. As children, we are trained to live in contribute to society as householdersgrihastha. Later we are expected to leave for the forest-vanaprastha, and then comes the hermit life or sanyasa, when we seek the world beyond the forest. According to the Buddhist Sarvastivadin commentary, Abhidharmamahavibhasa-sastra, forest or vana, is one of the many etymologies of the word 'nirvana’, the end of identity, prescribed by Buddhist scriptures, which is the goal of dhamma, the Buddhist way. Rama lives in a city, and so does Ravana. But Rama follows rules. Ravana does not care for rules. In other words, Ravana follows matsya nyaya though he is a city-dweller, a nagara-vasi. That is adharma. If Ravana uses force to get his way, Duryodhana uses his cunning, also focussing on the self rather than the other. This is adharma. benefit of others. It has nothing to do with rules. Which is why Krishna, the rule-breaker, is also upholding dharmfor he cares for the other. In the forest, everyone is driven by self-preservation. Only humans have the wherewithal to enable and empowothers to survive, and thrive. To do so dharma. It has nothing to do with rule or tradition. It is about being sensitivto, and caringfor, the other. We can dothis whether we are in the forest, or inthecity. And so it is in the vana or forethat Krishna dances with the gopikasmaking them feel safe even though thare out of their comfort zone. Without appreciating the forest and the field, Kali and Gauri-the animal instinct and human capabilitany discussion of dharma willbe incomplete.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Devdutt Pattanaik kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Devdutt Pattanaik Speaking Tree, Times of India
Forest And Field In Dharma Discussion
In the Sama Veda, the hymns of the Rig Veda are turned into melodies. These melodies are classified ito two groups: the forest songs ranya-gaye-gana or Forest Songs, and rama-gaye-gana or Settlement Songs. his divide plays a key role in the nderstandingof dharma. Forest is the default state of nature. inthe forest, there are rules. The fit irvive and the unfit die. The stronger, the smarter, have access to food. The est starve. There is no law, no authority nd no regulation. This is called 'matsya yaya' or law of the fishes, the vedic univalent of the law of the jungle. This prakriti, visualised as Kali, the wild oddess who runs naked with unbound air, of the puranas. Humans domesticate the forest to irn the forest into fields and villages r human settlement. Here, everything tamed: plants, animals, even humans, codes of conduct, duties and rights. Here, there is an attempt to take care of the weak and unfit. This is the hallmark of sanskriti or civilisation, visualised as Gauri, the docile goddess who is draped in a green sari, and whose hair is tied with flowers, who takes care of the household. The Ramayana tells the story of Rama who moves from Ayodhya, the settlement of humans, the realm of Gauri, into the forest, the realm of Kali. The Mahabharata tells the story of the Pandavas who are born in the forest, then come to Hastinapur, and then return to the forest as refugees, and then once again return to build Indraprastha, then yet again return to the forest as exiles, and finally, after the victory at war, and a successful reign, they return to the forest following retirement. As children, we are trained to live in contribute to society as householdersgrihastha. Later we are expected to leave for the forest-vanaprastha, and then comes the hermit life or sanyasa, when we seek the world beyond the forest. According to the Buddhist Sarvastivadin commentary, Abhidharmamahavibhasa-sastra, forest or vana, is one of the many etymologies of the word 'nirvana’, the end of identity, prescribed by Buddhist scriptures, which is the goal of dhamma, the Buddhist way. Rama lives in a city, and so does Ravana. But Rama follows rules. Ravana does not care for rules. In other words, Ravana follows matsya nyaya though he is a city-dweller, a nagara-vasi. That is adharma. If Ravana uses force to get his way, Duryodhana uses his cunning, also focussing on the self rather than the other. This is adharma. benefit of others. It has nothing to do with rules. Which is why Krishna, the rule-breaker, is also upholding dharmfor he cares for the other. In the forest, everyone is driven by self-preservation. Only humans have the wherewithal to enable and empowothers to survive, and thrive. To do so dharma. It has nothing to do with rule or tradition. It is about being sensitivto, and caringfor, the other. We can dothis whether we are in the forest, or inthecity. And so it is in the vana or forethat Krishna dances with the gopikasmaking them feel safe even though thare out of their comfort zone. Without appreciating the forest and the field, Kali and Gauri-the animal instinct and human capabilitany discussion of dharma willbe incomplete.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Devdutt Pattanaik kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Devdutt Pattanaik Speaking Tree, Times of India