Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
In India, right from the ancient days we find both spiritual philosophyas well as material philosophy equally in vogue. Both had theirrespective votaries. One argued in favour of God and the otheragainst. The faith and intention of our honoured thinkers was thatonly those who felt the inadequacy of the material philosophy needseek and pursue spiritual philosophy, its teachings and practice.Thus everything was properly set to regiment and fulfilled thethinking of men and women.I always say on my part that I am equally at home with those whobelieve in God and those who do not. In both cases it is the belief ofman. What is his God? It is something which his mind believes in.And for the disbelievers, it is a thing which their mind does not believein and fails to accept. Both take their position in their ownminds and what the mind dictates. Whether belief or non-belief,both are equally reflections of the mind, the conclusions and decisionsarrived at by man. Is God anything more than such faith, suchconclusion, for any one, any time? Even the world is what man seesbefore him, and not what world sees before itself !The mind, in both cases, is first there. It is accepted by both thegroups of people. The real substance, the Supreme Reality, too isthis mind, in one sense. It is the subject presence in the objects, theinward being and power in the outward objects and things.What do I want to say by all this? My intention is to bring about aclear understanding in the matter of religion and God. I do notdeny the presence of Providence. The ultimate Truth is that everythingis Providence, Providence’s display and only that. Thoughthis is so, we should not confuse ourselves in the actual pursuit ofour life. Life for humans is extremely complex. Complexity is allthe more because of the social connections and involvements of our34
life. Unlike animals and birds, which too are alike us in manyways, human life is much more organized, and hence too complicated.Draupadi, right from the start, stood firm on her ground: ‘Did theking pledge and lose himself first, or pledge and lose me first’? Thiswas her vital question. This question of hers is evidently a creationof her intelligence. I can agree that the intelligence is a gift of Godand nature, as is everything else in the world and in us. ‘If the kinghad lost himself first, what moral right did he have to pledge methen?’ This is a very legitimate point. She again argued that if thedefeat of Dharmaputra meant her defeat as well, then why was heasked to pledge her specially? Are not both questions quite fundamentaland reasonable? It was this question that led to the entirefate of hers in the assembly.If she had accepted her servitude right from the time she was told of it byDuryodhana’s messenger, nothing tragic as the disrobing of hers wouldhave taken place. She refused to accompany Duhshasana, as was theorder of the new master Duryodhana. This refusal was clearly herdecision, an act of her choice. It was this refusal that enragedDuhshasana who then pulled her by hair to the assembly.When her question was yet being debated and even Bheeshma confessedhe could not give a verdict, which meant she persisted in herstand, even the disrobing of her body was attempted. Where doesProvidence come here? Was not all this a development within theregion of the human intelligence, its decisions and the will exercisedby the persons concerned?When the question was still awaiting an answer and none seemedto emerge so soon, Duhshasana began his assault. This assault of35
- Page 3 and 4: Justice “In the Hands of Torture
- Page 7 and 8: Where the role of women is rightly
- Page 9 and 10: even myself.’ At this Shakuni lau
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- Page 24 and 25: "Look at my long sturdy hands. Even
- Page 26 and 27: To these words of Bheema, Yudhishth
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- Page 30 and 31: tice and moral propriety. He strong
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In India, right from <strong>the</strong> ancient days we f<strong>in</strong>d both spiritual philosophyas well as material philosophy equally <strong>in</strong> vogue. Both had <strong>the</strong>irrespective votaries. One argued <strong>in</strong> favour <strong>of</strong> God and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>raga<strong>in</strong>st. The faith and <strong>in</strong>tention <strong>of</strong> our honoured th<strong>in</strong>kers was thatonly those who felt <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>adequacy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> material philosophy needseek and pursue spiritual philosophy, its teach<strong>in</strong>gs and practice.Thus everyth<strong>in</strong>g was properly set to regiment and fulfilled <strong>the</strong>th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> men and women.I always say on my part that I am equally at home with those whobelieve <strong>in</strong> God and those who do not. In both cases it is <strong>the</strong> belief <strong>of</strong>man. What is his God? It is someth<strong>in</strong>g which his m<strong>in</strong>d believes <strong>in</strong>.And for <strong>the</strong> disbelievers, it is a th<strong>in</strong>g which <strong>the</strong>ir m<strong>in</strong>d does not believe<strong>in</strong> and fails to accept. Both take <strong>the</strong>ir position <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ownm<strong>in</strong>ds and what <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d dictates. Whe<strong>the</strong>r belief or non-belief,both are equally reflections <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d, <strong>the</strong> conclusions and decisionsarrived at by man. Is God anyth<strong>in</strong>g more than such faith, suchconclusion, for any one, any time? Even <strong>the</strong> world is what man seesbefore him, and not what world sees before itself !The m<strong>in</strong>d, <strong>in</strong> both cases, is first <strong>the</strong>re. It is accepted by both <strong>the</strong>groups <strong>of</strong> people. The real substance, <strong>the</strong> Supreme Reality, too isthis m<strong>in</strong>d, <strong>in</strong> one sense. It is <strong>the</strong> subject presence <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> objects, <strong>the</strong><strong>in</strong>ward be<strong>in</strong>g and power <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> outward objects and th<strong>in</strong>gs.What do I want to say by all this? My <strong>in</strong>tention is to br<strong>in</strong>g about aclear understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> matter <strong>of</strong> religion and God. I do notdeny <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> Providence. The ultimate Truth is that everyth<strong>in</strong>gis Providence, Providence’s display and only that. Thoughthis is so, we should not confuse ourselves <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> actual pursuit <strong>of</strong>our life. Life for humans is extremely complex. Complexity is all<strong>the</strong> more because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> social connections and <strong>in</strong>volvements <strong>of</strong> our34
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