Raghavendra Kumar Raghav–
We often misunderstand the teachings written in religious texts. This misunderstanding sometimes leads us away from the path of righteousness and even toward unrighteousness. In the Indian context, it is clear that the commentaries and interpretations made on these sacred texts have often been influenced by personal biases. As a result, we have been deprived of the true knowledge we sought.
Consider this verse from the Bhagavad Gita:
“Shreyan svadharmo vigunah paradharmat svanushthitat | Svabhavaniyatam karma kurvannapnoti kilbisham ||”
This means that one’s own duty, even if performed imperfectly, is better than performing another’s duty perfectly. A person does not incur sin by performing the duties prescribed by their own nature.
If we look at the meaning of this verse, it seems to highlight a conflict between different duties. But could Lord Krishna have really intended to sow discord between religions? Surely not—his meaning must have been different! As far as our limited understanding goes, the Lord’s words likely did not refer to any modern religion, as only Sanatan Dharma, the universal religion of the Aryans, existed at that time. Lord Krishna was likely speaking to Arjuna about the duties based on the varna system. You all know that Arjuna, seeing his relatives on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, had laid down his weapons and refused to fight. It was in this context that Vishnu’s avatar, Lord Krishna, spoke to him about the ideals of “Kshatriya Dharma” and considered the other dharmas (Brahmin, Vaishya, and Shudra) to be lesser in this specific situation. Similarly, if a soldier at the border refuses to fight, it goes against the duty of a soldier.
Unfortunately, hypocritical religious scholars have misinterpreted these verses to create divisions among us, leading to conflict. Their intentions may have been similar to those of the British who sought to enslave us. We are continually regressing as we fight in the name of religion. Therefore, it is crucial to gain the correct understanding of religion, so that we can forget our differences and progress together.
