Jaabali's naastikavada and Rama's response

             The Vedas are apaurusheya, not from single human origin, yet hold the deepest and highest philosophical ideas that form the core of the Sanatana Dharma. There are six darshanas that provide a philosophical insight into the Vedas. Each school has developed, systematized and correlated the different parts of the Vedas in their own way. Each system has a great rishi as the originator, sutrakara, who has systematized the school of thought and put out a guiding sutra, aphorisms. The six schools are best summarized as:

The Shad-Darsanas (the six schools of philosophy) or the Shat-Sastras are: the NYAYA, founded by Gautama Rishi, the VAISESHIKA by Kanada Rishi, the SANKHYA by Kapila Muni, the YOGA by Patanjali Maharshi, the PURVA MIMAMSA by Jaimini, and the UTTARA MIMAMSA or VEDANTA by Badarayana or Vyasa. The Darsanas are divided into three pairs of aphoristic compositions which explain the philosophy of the Vedas in a rationalistic method of approach. They are: the Nyaya and the Vaiseshika, the Sankhya and the Yoga, and the Mimamsa and the Vedanta. Each set of Sutras has got its Bhashya, Vritti, Varttika, Vyakhyana or Tika and Tippani. – Swami Sivananda

            Some of these darshanas propose ishwara and others do not, yet they all stem from a central theme -   the Vedas. Hence these philosophies are called astika. There are some other dharmic schools of thoughts like Jainism and Buddhism which also emphasize on dharma, but clearly state that they do not have any connection to the Vedas. These schools of thought are called naastika, the ones that reject Vedas.

NOTE: It will be blatantly wrong to call naastika as atheism, as it is an extreme subset of naastika and clearly has no philosophical basis.

            To achieve or approach Brahman or Paramatman, some have attempted naastika approaches, paths rejecting the Vedas. Rama is condemning this flawed outlook, when Jaabali, a close Brahmana advisor to Dasaratha, tries to invoke them to force Rama to come back to Ayodhya.

 

Storytime:

Jaabali’s advice: While Rama, Sita and Lakshmana were living in Chitrakuta, Bharata brought the entire army and all the citizens of Ayodhya, along with the news of Dasaratha’s death and a strong request for Rama to return back and take the throne. In a high class debate, Rama and Bharata engage in a wondrous debate, ripe with Dharma. Unable to persuade Rama as Bharata was wondering on how to convince Rama, Jaabali started to speak words that deviate from dharma (धर्मापेतम् – VR 2-108-1). He brought the essence of Vedanta, yet applied it with naastika twist, something we see it so prevalent today.

कः कस्य पुरुषो बन्धुः किम् आप्यम् कस्य केनचित् | यद् एको जायते जन्तुर् एक एव विनश्यति || – VR 2-108-3

Who is related to whom? What is obtained by anything or anyone? Every creature is born alone and dies alone.

            He declared the ones clinging to relationships like mother and father have lost their minds. Just like a traveler stays at a strange village only to depart the next morning, so are relationships. These sound very logical to us. But when he proceeds to tell that Dasaratha was a mere sperm and his mother was just an ovum. Their contribution was over when Rama was born. Now that, Dasaratha has departed there is no connection.

अर्थधर्मपरा ये ये तांस्तांछोचामि नेतरान्।  ते हि दुःखमिह प्राप्य विनाशं प्रेत्य भेजिरे।। – VR 2-108-13

            He openly chided those who were those who were oriented in the pursuit of Dharma, Artha and Moksha. In other words anything other than Kama (desire), all others meet death without any fulfillment. He ridiculed the practice of serving food for the ancestors. This is a pure hedonistic materialistic outlook, almost akin to what is so called intelligent (pseudo)scientific outlook.

दानसंवनना ह्येते ग्रन्था मेधाविभिः कृताः।  यजस्व देहि दीक्षस्व तपस्तप्यस्व सन्त्यज।। – VR 2-108-16

            Jaabali alleged that learned men have composed works highlighting - “ yagna, daana, tapas and renunciation” to influence others to do them. He urged to arrive at the conclusion that exists nothing beyond – (स न अस्ति परम् – VR 2-108-17). He insisted on Rama returning back to Ayodhya fulfilling the desire of Bharata, which echoed those of everyone.

 

Rama’s response: Rama understood Jaabali’s intent but was definitely not pleased by his approach.  Let us take Rama’s reponse as points, which demolished Jaabali’s misguided talk.

•  निर्मर्यादः तु पुरुषः पाप आचार समन्वितः |  मानम् न लभते सत्सु भिन्न चारित्र दर्शनः || – VR 2-109-3

A man not bound by morality, immersed in evil actions and leads a character contrary to those of the good, is never respected by the virtuous.

• कुलीनमकुलीनं वा वीरं पुरुषमानिनम्।  चारित्रमेव व्याख्याति शुचिं वा यदि वाऽशुचिम्।। – VR 2-109-4

It is only one’s character that determines if one is born in a high or low family, brave or haughty, chaste or unchaste.

•  Rama’s main objection to Jaabali is abandoning the Vedas, he also forsakes dharma and whatever veneer of righteousness he may hold, hypocrisy will dominate his character, thus making him unfit to rule.

कस्य दास्याम्यहं वृत्तं केन वा स्वर्गमाप्नुयाम्।  आनया वर्तमानो हि वृत्त्या हीनप्रतिज्ञया।। – VR 2-109-8 

How can I prescribe others to lead a moral life, if I do not set that standard? How can I attain svarga? The King will be the standard for the citizens and his lack of it will be very bad precedence. (यद् वृत्ताः सन्ति राजानः तद् वृत्ताः सन्ति हि प्रजाः || – VR 2-109-9)

•  Satyam (Truth) and nonviolence are the foundations of good rule from time immemorial. (सत्यमेवानृशंसं च राजवृत्तं सनातनम्। – VR 2-109-10) Rama is holding himself to the golden standards of his illustrious ancestors like Harischandra who was commited to truth at all costs. Truth has been accepted as the highest virtue by all the rishis and devas.  Satyam is Ishwara and the refuge for padma (prosperity, Sri). Satyam is the root of everything and is Supreme. सत्यम् एव ईश्वरो लोके सत्यम् पद्मा समाश्रिता | सत्य मूलानि सर्वाणि सत्यान् न अस्ति परम् पदम् || (VR 2-109-13)

Rama’s arguments are firmly rooted in Taittriya Upanishad vakya (2-1-1) –   स॒त्यं ज्ञा॒नम॑न॒न्तं ब्रह्म॑ । Satyam jnanam anantam brahma. Satyam is the first pointer given to indicate Parabrahman.

दत्तम् इष्टम् हुतम् चैव तप्तानि च तपांसि च | वेदाः सत्य प्रतिष्ठानाः तस्मात् सत्य परो भवेत् || (VR 2-109-14) Giving in charity, sacrifice, oblations (ahuti), performing tapasya and Vedas all rest in Satyam.  Therefore everyone must abide in Truth.

• Rama reminded Jaabali that he had given a word to Dasaratha that he will live in the forest for fourteen years and had no intention to break that promise. It may be possible to succumb to the following pressures – Greed, pride, ignorance, stupor or darkness, but Rama says the promise he made rises above these flaws. (न एव लोभान् न मोहाद् वा न च अज्नानात् तमो अन्वितः |  सेतुम् सत्यस्य भेत्स्यामि गुरोः सत्य प्रतिश्रवः ||  VR 2-109-17)

• Three dimensions of Papa: Rama highlights that untruth executes at three levels – conceived in the mind, flows out of the tongue as lies and finally as an evil deed of the body. Thus the papa is rooted in three places.  कायेन कुरुते पापं मनसा सम्प्रधार्य तत्।  अनृतं जिह्वया चाह त्रिविधं कर्मपातकम्।। VR 2-109-21)

• What does the man of Truth obtain? – Rama declares that the one who is committed to Satyam is attended by property (land), fame, glory and prosperity, they long for him even if he is in svarga.   भूमिः कीर्तिर् यशो लक्ष्मीः पुरुषम् प्रार्थयन्ति हि |  स्वर्गस्थम् च अनुबध्नन्ति सत्यम् एव भजेत तत् || VR 2-109-22)

Rama’s words were coming from the depths of his being, as he was unable to tolerate Jaabali’s words. (अमृष्यमाणः).

 

Why this conversation matters to us?

            Jaabali’s negative advice was centered on resting on few key arguments including renunciation of vedic values beginning with Satyam, lead a desire centered life and not to worry about the hereafter.

Kama centered life: His argument was that people going after Artha, Dharma and Moksha have nothing to show for and perish in the end. If chasing the Kama, at least desired object can be obtained. This is a direct assault on Dharma and Moksha and in short the very concept of Purusharthas. In Desire – a genealogical approach,  we studied that even if a desire is fulfilled or unfulfilled, it morphs into other forms and hence a mere Kama centered life will not yield its desired fruits. Also if everyone around follows the same motto, it is bound to cause clashes as one’s desire clashes with another.  The higher ideals not only temper the Kama, but also allow the direction of the resources, Artha towards a greater purpose, namely Dharma, which is the other side of the same coin as Moksha.

Naastikavada: Jaabali argued that as we are only an effect of materials, jadavada, we need not oblige by any standards for parents or ancestors. Rama flatly refused to buy this nonsensical viewpoint as it destroys the very fabric of civilization. Jaabali found that high ideals were prescribed with a narrow idea of inducing others to follow. Rama’s countered that unless one lived by a high standard, expecting others to follow is hypocrisy and is impossible to rule with such a pathetic yardstick. Naastikavada, which by very definition of not accepting Vedas (vid means to know), implies that the very grounds of the arugment is based on darkness, tamas.

Satyam: Most of Rama’s arguments were to highlight the importance and essential nature of Satyam. As Satyam is the nature of Brahman, Paramatma, it is the same expressed through Vedas. On this foundation rests the revelations of the Rishis and existence and operation of the Devas. From this is derived the rules of governance which the good monarchs uphold at any cost. Satyam is at the core of our very existence. Rama could not see a second without Satyam, thus Jaabali’s attempt to part with it fell flat on his face.

Dimensions of papa: Rama clearly shines light on the three fold existence and at the root of Papa – in the mind as evil thoughts, in the tongue as words and executed through the body as bad actions. Though they are threefold, they are mere manifestations of the same papa. Many a time, we may not implement the action and stop it with only inappropriate words and other times; we may stop it as a bad thought. Nonetheless this papa is based on asatya and cleaves us away from dharma and such a fall is to be feared not only for its consequences on others but more on ourselves.

            Rama went on to find fault with Dasaratha for having Jaabali in his inner circle. Jaabali attempted to rebut an incensed Rama, but Vasishta quickly intervened and diffused the situation by highlighting Jaabali’s intentions were to get Rama to Ayodhya and not preach his faulty logic.

Everyone including his mothers, the next regent per the boon, Bharata, the citizens and even his Kulaguru, Vasishta desired Rama to accept the throne. It would have meant no breaking of any dharma, except in the books of Rama. His standard was so high that he reiterated his commitment to live in the forest for the next fourteen years not merely dressed as an ascetic, but live as one following their lifestyle.  Pursuit of Satya at any cost just to maintain his word to his father, which was based on Dasaratha’s predicament, shows the higher road that Rama always took.

Satya is the Supreme abode and in which abides all the high ideals. Striving to uphold this value at every step of our life help us cleanse the darkness and tamas in the crevices of our heart in the form of vasanas. Even if we do not get the subtleties of the Vedas, as long as we avoid taking the naastika path, we may be doing ourselves a favor by not accelerating our self destruction.

            This episode of Rama highlights the subtlety of Dharma and there is not enough value to outweigh Satya. This discussion also gives a firm conclusive insight on the origins and merit of Satya. It also informs us even if the goal is very noble, the means must match the outcome. In this turbulent world, only his words, his actions and his lotus feet can help us stick to this high road. May we follow Rama’s advice and his personal example in upholding Dharma and Satya.

 

ॐ तत् सत