The Gita’s Ethics (A Critical Study)

by Arpita Chakraborty | 2017 | 59,351 words

This essay studies the Ethical Teachings of the Gita, as presented in the Mahabharata in the form of a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. Ancient Indian ethics as evolved from the Vedas developed through the Upanisads, the Gita, Mahabharata, Ramayana and finally reached the Dharma-Shastras such as the Manusmriti. As the means to liberation, the e...

6. Svadharma (one’s own duty)

< Previous

Next >

The concept of dharma has social and individual aspects. There is no antithesis between the individual and society. They are inseparable infact and only distinguishable in thought. The individual grows to his best only in society. Society is the training ground for moral virtues. Society checks Man’s anarchic and anti-social imputes and gives definiteness and forms to his ideals. Arjuna’s svadharma or law of action, requires him to engage in the battle, Protection of right by the acceptance of battle, and this also the social duty of the Ksatriya. Thus svadharma and varna dharma-individual duty and social duty are related. Arjuna is to perform his svadharma by maintaining order in the society by force and not to become an ascetic by “shaving off the hair”; this performing social duty.^[1]

Krishna tells Arjuna that for warriors there is no more ennobling duty than a fair fight. It is a privilege that leads to heaven. We are very often dissatisfied with our lot by comparing it with that of others. But we must realize our capacity as well as limitations and not try to imitate others. It is our well-performed duties in our own sphere that should give us contentment, because that contributes to our individual progress as well as social stability. Whatever may be the caste or profession of a person, he has to discharge his duties to himself as well as to society according to his position in life and if he does so honestly and with a social sense.

The ethical problem of the Gita starts with the Arjuna’s argument that fighting in the war would be wrong (i, 26-47) and Krishna’s response that it is his duty to fight. (ii,10-39). But at the same time Krishna argues that it is Arjuna’s svadharma (own duty) to fight (ii, 31, 33). Since it is the social duty of members of the Ksatriya (warrior) class to fight. Arjuna’s attachment confused him and overshadowed his devotion to duty. It was then that he thought of philosophy. When a man with a sense of duty is caught in illusion, even then he cannot bear to face the naked fact of his lapse from duty. He usually covers it up with an inquiry into principles. Arjuna was just in this plight. He wanted to evade his duty because his vision was clouded by illusion, moha.^[2]

In chapter (xviii) we find a relationship between svadharma and svabhava. In this chapter, the svadharma of and individual is linked with the gunas or tendencies arising out of one’s svabhava. The svadharma of each individual is based on his svabhava. svadharma is the duty that is in tune with a person’s disposition. The word svabhava means one’s own trait-type moulded by one’s karmic impressions. One’s action is born of one’s svabhava (innate tendencies). As the dream of a person takes its form from disposition, so is the action of a person bound to be in conformity with his nature. A bad svabhava generates delusion that comples the person to act as the svabhava dictates. The svabhava, carrying the meaning of innate tendencies, is shaped by the karma-samskaras, cumulatively stored due to actions done in the past lives. In adopting the translation ‘own nature’ for the term svadharma Deutsch admitted, perhaps ingenuously, the popular Hindu assumption that one’s position within the caste structure is necessarily a reflection of one’s moral development and therefore, of one’s nature^[3]. If someone says he will not do his duty, it only indicates his ego, hotheadedness or delusion. Even then he will have to perform that duty since he will be helplessly driven to do that. The three modes goodness, passion, and dullness born of nature bind down in the body, O mighty (Arjuna), the imperishable dweller in the body (xiv, 5). Since these three modes give orientation and direction to our nature these are visible in all aspects of our life. They shape our thoughts, habits and actions as also our knowledge and intentions.

So much so that our faith also takes after our natural disposition.

‘sattvanurupa sarvasya shraddha bhavati’ (xvii, 3).

Our beloved deities whom we worship with faith and belief get chosen by us according to our disposition. Sattvikas worship Gods, rajasikas worship other celestial bodies and tamasikas worship spirits(xvii,4).

Gita says:

aharas tv api sarvasya trividho bhavati priyah
yajnas tapas tatha danam tesam bhedam imam srnu (xvii, 7)

“Even the food which is dear to all is of three kinds. So are the sacrifices, austerities, and gifts. Hear thou the distinction of these”.

The diet we take and the food we like is also guided by our nature.

The Gita says:

yad ahamkaram asritya na yotsya iti manyase
mithyai'sa vyavasayas te prakrtis tvam niyoksyati (xviii,59)

“If indulging in self-conceit, thou thinkest “I will not fight,” vain is this, thy resolve. Nature will compel thee”.

The desire ‘not to fight’ will only be the expression of his surface nature: his deeper being will lead him to fight. If he casts down his arms for fear of suffering and holds back from the fight, and if the war proceeds without him, and he realizes that the consequences of his abstention would be disastrous to humanity.^[4]

As a matter of fact, all the activities are carried out by the modes of material nature, but under the influence of the false ego one considers himself as the doer of all the activities (iii, 27).The secret of all activities is that under the influence of the mode of nature the person is almost as if forced to act in a particular way, and he cannot act otherwise. A man is not different from his nature. He and his innate tendencies are identical. A few examples are required to clarify this point. A new cyclist often drives his cycle into a ditch much against his wish. This is due to his frightened nature having sway over him at that moment. A man is an adept in several languages so much so that it is difficult to find out which among them is this mother tongue. But when an ever whelming joy or sorrow takes possession of him, he blasts his feelings in his native language which is on a par with his own nature. Man is obliged to act in conformity with his nature. Heaven and hell are the projections of the mental makeup of people. As shadow follows a substance, man’s nature clings on to him. To act therefore in tune with one’s nature is the only way to work out and to exhaust one’s karma.^[5]

One’s specific duties even ill done are always better than another’s duties well done. An individual attains fulfillment of his being by perplexing his own specific duties. One does not incur sin when one does the duty ordained by one’s own nature.

Again is said that one should not give up work suited to one’s own nature, though it may be defective, or clouded by defects as fire by smoke.

sreyan svadharma vigunah paradharmat svanusthitat
svabhavaniyatam karma kurvan na’pnoti kilbisam (xviii,47)

“Better is one’s own duty, though destitute of merits, than the well-executed duty of another. He who doeth the duty laid down by his own nature incurreth not sin. A man trained for medicine should not choose to become a lawyer on the ground he can plead a case very fluently. It is injurious if one changes one’s calling prompted by likes and dislikes, by opportunism and careerist mentality. One’s personality gets dissipated mentality. The training that one has received and the time devoted to it are all wasted away. There are two advantages of svadharma. Firstly, it is as natural to him as water is to fish. He need not unduly strain himself as picking up and in discharging his inherited duty. He executes it almost involuntarily. Secondly, there is the release of consciousness to be directed Godward”.^[6]

Man is important in the Gita, since, he is subject to the power of prakriti or svabhava. By nature, here we are not to understand the nature (prakriti) of Samkhya, but simply the innate tendencies or proclivities of human beings. There is no doubt that according to the Gita karmic impressions are preserved and carried on life after life. A person who during his life-time fails to complete the course of his yogic discipline is said in his next life to be born ‘in the house of pure and prosperous persons’ (vi, 41) or even in the family of the yogins, Yoginam eva kule (vi, 42). He is said to be irresistibly (avasah) carried or by dint of his former practice (vi,44). This indicates the fruit of some past karmas take the form of destiny (daiva), pre-determining the specific family into which a person is born.

Prakriti is the mental equipment with which one is born, as the result of the past acts. And one starts acting as his prakrti is. Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature. Beings follow their nature. What can repression accomplish? (iii, 33). This must run its course. Sankaracarya says that nature or prakriti is the samskara (the latent self-productive impression of the past acts of dharma and adharma) manifesting itself at the commencement of the present birth. Even the man of knowledge acts according to his own nature; it needs no saying that an ignorant man acts according to his own nature. What shall coercion in the shape of prohibition avail? That is to say, to me or to anybody else, nature is irresistible.^[7] Restraint cannot avail since actions flow inevitably from the working of prakriti and the self is only an impartial witness. The soul in nature enjoys the modes born of nature; attachment to the modes is the cause of its births in good and evil wombs (xiii, 21). These are the common usage rather than of technical philosophy.

The emphasis on svabhava indicates that human beings are to be treated as individuals and not as types. Their specific duties which accordance with their innate psychological dispositions constitutes their svadharma. Everyone is supposed to discover one’s true self and live according to its truth; otherwise we would sin against our nature. The emphasis on svabhava indicates that human beings are to be treated as individuals and not as types. Arjuna is told that he who fights gallantly as a warrior becomes mature for peace of wisdom.^[8] Each individual has his inborn nature, svabhava, and to make it effective in his life his duty.

The Gita advocates the doctrine of svadharma, for the realization of highest good and lokasangraha or human welfare. In the Gita Krishna urges Arjuna to fight against his near and dear ones because as Ksatriya it is his duty to perform war otherwise it is against his dharma. Again in order to preserve the law of society one must do his allotted works. Otherwise proper functioning of the society or social progress is not possible. The society which is composed of the people of different ability and capacity, gunas and karma. A good society must take in to consideration the adjustment of its various elements for the best of all. As the human body continues to exist in the co-ordination and co-operation of its head, heart, stomach and feet, so the human society progress on the mutuality of its various classes. The entire individual and social system will collapse if any of their four elements fail to co-operate. They must function in harmony.

Four varnas are divided according to qualities born of their own nature, spiritual temperament, essential character (svabhava). Action should be rightly regulated action, niyatam karma, but intrinsically one’s own, evolved from within, and in harmony with the true of one’s being, regulated by the svabhava, svabhava–niyatam karma.^[9] The vocations of different classes are appropriate to their qualities. Their specific duties which accord with their innate psychical dispositions constitute their svadharma. They are prescribed for them. They are their natural duties. An individual should never give up his natural and specific duties try to perform those of another person. They do not fit in with his natural aptitudes. So they may be pernicious to him. They are not his natural duties and therefore they will fail to fulfill his mission and attune him with God. One’s specific duties ill-done are always better than another’s specific duties well done. An individual attains fulfillment of his being by performing his own specific duties. He should always do the duties prescribed for him. If he does not perform them he commits sin (iv,33,iii,8,vi,1,xviii,23,41,45-47). Just a poisonous substance does not injure the worm born in that substance, so, he who does the duty ordained according to his own nature incurs no sin^[10]. According to Radhakrishnan it is no use employing our minds in tasks which are alien to our nature. In each of us lies a principle of becoming, an idea of divine expression. It is our real nature, svabhava finding partial expression in various duties.By following its guidance in our thought, aspiration and endeavour; we progressively realize the intention of the spirit for us. We should never despise any man, for he can do something which others cannot.^[11].

Again Gita says:

sahajam karma kaunteya sadosam api natyajet
sarvarambhe hi dosena dhumena’ gnir iva’ vrtah (xviii, 48).

“O son of Kunti (Arjuna), work is determined by the inborn nature, though defective, should not be abandoned; for all undertakings are enveloped by flaws, as fire by smoke”.

Men on a lower level of feeling and thought cannot all of a sudden be lifted up into a highest state. The Gita requires each individual to do the duties imposed by his caste. svadharma is the agreement with the law of one’s being. A man is made of sattva, rajas, tamas. The various characteristics which are found in a man are the modifications of the three gunas (xviii, 19-41) and as such he cannot be separated from them. This are very essence of a man and when we dispassionately consider the true nature of dharma, we realize that it is also as much inseparable from the man as his very nature.It is because of this that this dharma has been called eternal and natural (sanatana). It is inherent in the nature of man. It has not been imposed upon him from outside. Therefore, Krishna has repeatedly told to Arjuna to follow his own dharma and fight against his enemies. Dharma is the very nature of man. It is in accordance with the status that one occupies in society and the life that one leads in order to achieve the highest end of life.

As Arjuna was a ksatriya, therefore, fighting in the battlefield for the cause of justice was his dharma or duty. Justice is supreme for all ksatriya. It is the only truth for them. If for the sake of justice a dutiful (dharmabalambi) ksatriya will have to give up his precious kingdom, affectionate son, beloved wife and he will never hesitate to do so. Arjuna, a ksatriya or warrior, was forgetting his dharma of his natural love of protecting the just and destroying the unjust and he was getting engulfed by the Mahan or pass as for his own mean people.

Action done as svadharma confers nothing but benefit on the community. The traders who believe that his business is for the good of society will never deal in foreign fineries. His business advances the welfare of society. This svadharma comes to one naturally; one does not have to go out in search of one’s own dharma. It is not as if we have dropped down from the sky and started walking on the earth. Vinobha Bhave compares svadharma to one’s mother. He said, “It was not left to me to choose my mother in this birth. It had already been determined for me. No matter what sort of person she is, there is no pushing her away. This is precisely the case with svadharma-it is inseparable”^[12]. Before we were born, our society existed, our parents existed, and our neighbors existed. We are born into this stream of existence.

The word svadharma had a special significance in the former times. It meant the duties, prescribed for each particular caste, and it was the duty of a person born in a particular caste to stick to the hereditary occupation. Thus svadharma means hereditary duties. Hence it was Arjuna’s duty to do what has been prescribed for one’s caste but what is one’s imperative duty to do, or not to do, in the light of one’s own conscience, under the circumstances he is called upon to act. When we are carried by passions, prejudices or by self interests, we do what is alien to our sense of duty; i.e. we take up what is not our own property duty. Anything else than one’s own duty is paradharma; i.e, outside the legitimate scope of duty. Therefore, it is highly injurious to both the individual and to the community at large. Here, paradharma is dangerous (bhayavaha).

It is better to die in the performance of one’s duty than to forsake it, than to do what our passions, prejudices or self interest, prompt us to do.

Krishna says,

“But if thou dost not fight, thou shalt then incur sin by abandoning the duties of thy order and thy reputation” (ii, 33).

Looking to one’s duty, one should not tremble. There is nothing better to a warrior than a righteous war. If Arjuna does not undertake this righteous war, he will ease away his righteous duty. He should hold equal pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat. True duty lies in performance and not in achievement.

According to the Gita, every individual has a particular need and capacity to do a particular job. One is the best judge of one’s self. He should be open-minded in getting good advices and opinions and the process he is going to apply and the policy he is going to pursue, but he must weigh his own needs, inclinations, and the ability in connection to those undertakings. For the best accomplishments, one should never be irrational or emotional at the time of final decisions on main matters of life. The four main groups in the Gita are divided with their respective nature and aptitudes. Like present day’s aptitudes in the modern educational system, the caste system in India was initiated. A Teacher’s son born and brought up in the educational system environment will be a better teacher than a carpenter. Therefore the Gita says that in order to get the best out of a person his such a short stay on his earth it is his dharma or duty to do according to his inclination, need, ability. Krishna teaches Arjuna to obey his ksatriya dharma of warrior’s duty and fight the battle for the sake of justice. The Gita proclaims that it is preferable to die in one’s dharma, duty, or potential tendency than to seek refuge elsewhere. Better is one’s own duty though imperfectly carried out than the law carried out perfectly. Better is death in the fulfillment of one’s own law for to follow another’s law is perilous. There is more happiness in doing one’s own work even without excellence than in doing another’s duty well. Each one must try to understand his psychological make up and function in accordance with it. Birth in a brahmana, ksatriya, or sudra caste, etc is not an accidental thing, but is necessitated by the past deeds of the agent (iv, 13). In verse (vi, 41-42) mentioned that birth in a noble prosperous family is linked to the goods of past life.Krishna declares, “A person who tries to do good, never attains any bad position. A person who has fallen from yoga (a perfect equilibrium of mind), attains the world of the meritorious, and having stayed there for many years he is born in a rich noble family, or in the family of an intelligent yogin. Really such a birth is very difficult to be attained in this world. There he attains the intellectual standard of his former birth and thus trying again and again, he attains salvation after many births” (vi,49-59).So this is the belief of the Gita that good actions fructify in rewarding the doer a higher social position in the next birth.

Man was prohibited to violate his inherent duties. Whosever in the society was found in raising himself higher than his appointed position, was not only looked down upon in the society but also was punished and was regarded to have committed a great sin. The theory of karma explained that the inherent qualities of a man were the outcome of the actions of his past life. So there was no question of violating the limits of the varna in which the man was born. How could man work against his nature formed of the inherent qualities. Krishna explains to Arjuna “Even though you do not want to do a particular action, you will be compelled to do it by your inherent nature (xiii, 60). Different functions, status, were attached to varna which in turn was attached motto of life, fully imbibed in the whole of the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata says that every man of intelligence should strive for the attainment of emancipation of his self (Mahabharata, Santiparva-174.5).^[13] The concept of fulfilling ones duties as prescribed for the class in which he is born, was so highly valued in the times of the Mahabharatain their right performance was to be yielding heaven after death. The Mahabharata regards the death of a ksatriya while fighting according to dharma, as an attainment of heaven by that warrior.^[14]

One’s duty may be to serve the community by working as a sweeper another’s may be to work as an accountant. An accountant’s work may be more inviting, but that need not draw the sweeper away from his work. If he allow himself to be draw away he would himself be dost and put community into danger. The central teaching of the Gita is detachment–abandonment (tyaga) of the fruit of action. And there would be no room for this abandonment if one were to prefer another’s to one’s own. Therefore one’s duty is one that matters, and its unattached performance is its reward. svadharma or duties in one’s station and stage of life. These should not be instigated by egoistic instincts and desires, (ii, 62), but proceed from deeper insights into the law and destiny of being and loyalty to God. svakarma as arcane, (xviii,18,46,48,60), works as worship.

Better one’s own duty, though uninviting than another’s which may be more easily performed; doing duty which accords with one’s nature, one incurs no sin

sve-sve karmany abiratah sam-siddhim labhate narah
svekarmaniratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrnu (xviii,45 )

“Devoted to his own duty man attains perfection. How one, devoted to one’s own duty, attains perfection, that do thou hear”.

Devoted to each one’s own duty each of us should loyal at our level to our feelings and impulses’ it is dangerous to attempt work beyond the level of our nature, our svabhava. Within the power of our nature, we must live up fully to our duty. Man must live up fully and conscientiously to his own being, to the level of his natural qualities and capacities his svabhava. This is the process of becoming.

Therefore, the classification of society by four major divisions (varnas), viz, the brahmana the priestly class, the ksatriya the ruling class, the Vaisya, the professional class, the sudra, the laboring class, undoubtedly signifies the responsibility and duty of the individual in the society. Each person has certain functions in the society determined by the very nature of the person to fulfill his dharma arising from the cosmic order in a particular situation in which he/she finds himself/herself in life.

In the Gita regarding this devotion to duty, it has been stated that one should prefer death, while performing one’s dharma, to a change of professional duty.

sreyan svadharma vigunah paradharmat svanusthitat
svadharma nidhanam sreyah paradharma bhaayavahah -3.35

“One should perform one’s duties according to one’s own nature, even if it appears faulty. It is better than doing the duties of others. It is much better to die while engaged in one’s own cause because performing duties assigned to others only brings evil and danger”.

One’s dharma is a function of one’s birth, station in life, aptitude, mindset and the opportunities one gets in life. All these factors may vary from individual to individual and hence it is most desirable to observe one’s own dharma, rather than try to hand on other’s and mess it up. Gandhi interpreted this verse as that we should strive to the best of our ability in our own sphere of work, but wastes no effort on anything which lies outside it. It would be dangerous for us to go and live in a mansion in Bombay, but it would be a sign of our being happy if we content to live here in the ashram.^[15] Swami Chidbhavananda interpreted this verse as that man’s nature is to have recourse to what gives pleasure and to recoil from what gives pain. Arjuna’s temporary setback illustrates this position. From boyhood onwards he had been trained for the dharma of a ruler or a warrior. He delighted in bringing trained that way because it was his own duty, svadharma.^[16] This verse may be taken with v,5 in order to bring out the Gita’s principle that works proceed from the law of nature. ‘’No one can remain even for an instant without doing any work. All are made to act forcibly by the gunas born of prakriti (v, 5). If action is imposed upon man by his very nature and dispositions, the Gita emphasizes the essentially social character of action chanelled and regulated in the scheme of society for bringing about man’s perfection.