26. In Harmony with Swa-Dharma

 


Krishna explains swa-dharma (own nature or paradigm) (2.31-2.37) and tells Arjuna that such an unsought battle (Kurukshetra) opens the door to heaven (2.32). Escaping from it would result in loss of swa-dharma, fame and would incur sin (2.33). This guidance given to Arjuna on the battlefield must be understood in its proper context. Krishna is talking about harmony and synergy with one’s swa-dharma and not about the war.

Krishna finds disharmony between Arjuna’s swa-dharma and his thoughts, utterances and actions. He guides Arjuna towards harmonizing them. In the case of Arjuna, harmony is in fighting the battle as per his swa-dharma and disharmony is in avoiding the battle.

In fact, harmony rules creation where the smallest particles like electrons, protons and neutrons to the biggest galaxies, planets and stars are in harmony. We enjoy our favourite music only when the radio and the radio station are in harmony (tune). There is no greater example of harmony than the human body consisting of so many organs and chemicals, whose synergistic functioning helps in our daily activities. Harmony refers to things and situations as they are, not as we desire them to be in our frame of reference and value system.

Since our childhood, we have been taught that good deeds take us to heaven and bad deeds to hell, after death. Krishna indicates that heaven and hell are not afterlife places but exist here and now, depending on whether one’s potentiality meets opportunity or not. It is like Arjun’s potential as warrior meeting the Kurukshetra war.

When we understand others’ paradigm or their swa-dharma, harmony comes in families, workplaces and relationships which is heaven and the lack of it is hell. We experience pleasure and pain depending on whether our desires are fulfilled or not. When internal harmony with swa-dharma is achieved, it is a joyful living irrespective of the happenings in the outside world.


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