Swami Nirmalānanda Giri on The Gita Verse1

(As explained by Swamiji in a discourse introducing the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita)

Swami Nirmalānda Giri Mahārāj*

[The author's explanation of the terms Dharma Śarīra and Karma Śarīra used by Swamiji:

When people do their actions to gratify their material desires, what they do is relativistic dharma. Most individuals almost always perform relativistic dharma. That means their desires drive them to perform all actions (karma) for the sake of material gains and sensual pleasures. Then, we call the human body a karma śarīra ̶ karma means action or work and śarīra means body, so karma sarīra means the body driven by karma (action).

In Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita, we find the definition of kshetra as the perishable body. Śarīra means the same too. Let us consider now the word Kuru-kshetra in Chapter 1, verse 1, of the Gita:

Kuru = karma-related (to do, etc.)

Kshetra = sarīra (perishable body)

So, Kuru-kshetra = karma sarīra

Kuru-kshetra will thus mean karma śarīra. This karma śarīra does all kinds of activities of the relative world. Sometimes we find its indiscriminate behavior under the evil influence of kāma (desires). The Mahābhārata story teaches us this aspect, citing many examples.

A few inspired people have the urge to return to the pure Self (Brahman). They can sublimate their desires, and by doing so, their karma sarīra becomes weak. They can now perform their work and actions in conformance with absolute dharma. (The absolute dharma is within every person as Brahman.) As they make much progress as seekers, the karma sarīra in them becomes passive. Then they work only as prompted by the absolute dharma from within. It means the body acts as dharma śarīra, a body driven by dharma.

Again, in Chapter 1, verse 1, of the Gita, we saw the word Dharma-kshetra:

Dharma= absolute dharma

Kshetra = sarīra (perishable body)

So, Dharma-kshetra = dharma sarīra

Dharma-kshetra will mean dharma sarīra. The actions and behaviors of those few who finally become Self-realized will be in tune with the absolute dharma; their body acts as dharma sarīra. In every person, there are absolute dharma and relativistic dharma. Therefore, even ordinary people occasionally assume dharma śarīra. That is when we find them in perfect virtuous actions and behaviors.]

In Swamiji’s view, implicit in Dhritarāshṭra’s simple question are the following four different questions:

In (acting as) dharma-śarīra, what did my sons (Duryodhana and others) do after assembling on the battlefield? [actions under the influence of absolute dharma ]

[Dharma-kshetre samavetāḥ mamakāḥ kim akurvata? (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेताः मामकाः किम् अकुर्वत)]

In (acting as) karma śarīra, what did my battle-ready sons do? [actions of relativistic dharma]

[Kuru-kshetre yuyutsavaḥ mamakāḥ kim akurvata? (कुरुक्षेत्रे युयुत्सवः मामकाः किम् अकुर्वत)]

In (acting as) dharma-śarīra, what did the sons of Pāṇḍu do after assembling on the battlefield? [actions under the influence of absolute dharma ]

[Dharma-kshetre samavetāḥ Pāṇḍavāḥ kim akurvata? (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेताः पाण्डवाः किम् अकुर्वत)]

In (acting as) karma śarīra, what activities did the battle-ready Pāṇḍvas perform? [actions of relativistic dharma]

[Kuru-kshetre yuyutsavaḥ Pāṇḍavāḥ kim akurvata? (कुरुक्षेत्रे युयुत्सवः पाण्डवाः किम् अकुर्वत)]

From Dhritarāshṭra’s questions, it is evident that he can very well discriminate between dharma and adharma, good and bad. He was curious to know both the noble and ignoble activities carried out on the two sides of the battlefield. The blind King, for a moment, would have experienced the influence of dharma-śarīra himself. None other than Vyāsa reminded him of the consequences of a war. Vidura, his wise younger brother, advised him of dharma many times. Vidura once invited Sage Sanatsujāta to give Dhritarāshṭra lessons in Brahma-vidya (the Science of the Absolute). The knowledgeable King, at a self-illumined moment, might have thought that his sons and the Pāṇḍavas would agree to call off the battle. Bhīshma’s fall shattered even his last glimmer of hope. He believed that by the patriarch’s grace, he and his sons enjoyed sovereignty. When no hope left, he wondered why the dharma-śarīra of the fighting Kurus did not wake up!

In the original question, we have seen Dhritarāshṭra asking Sañjaya for a detailed description of the first ten days of the war. Looking at the same question from Swamiji’s angle, we realize it provides ample room for the entire Science of the Absolute (Brahma-vidya)!

[^*Swami Nirmalānda Giri Mahārāj was a multi-talented genius. He was a consummate Ayurvedic physician who followed the traditions of Charaka and Suśruta. He devoted most of his time in giving great solace to many, many terminally ill people who had no other treatment options available; and the Swami cured many of them to live long, free of pain. Swamiji was a scholar in the Sanskrit language, and a Vedantin of rare wisdom that the twenty-first century witnessed.]

[ To visit the Bhagavad Gita Self-Study page, click/tap on this link: Bhagavad Gita Svādhyāya]

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