Textualism in the case of Gita is not ideal

Abstract

Emerging trends around our society can be seen misinterpreting Gita’s values and understanding
it on its face value. Quoting Gita’s scrupulous and non-debilitating context, some preachers are
advocating over the employment of violence to safeguard the dharma. This increasing
endorsement of violence under the pretext of preserving Dharma is considerably regressive. via
this research paper we are navigating through many aspects of Gita

The purpose of this paper is to reinstate codes of non-violence and establish peace. This paper
targets the dogmatic understanding of Gita and gives a fresh view point by incorporating both
Right and Left contemplations. This paper also targets the false preachers who are filling the
innocent minds with the notions of savagery and brutality. It aims at admonishing the dogmatism
of religion and upholding the supremacy of rightful conduct.

As Kant describes what self- incurred immaturity is and highlights that “the main point of
enlightenment is human being’s emancipation of the same, primarily in terms of religious
matters; because immaturity in matters of religion is the most harmful sort, and hence the most
degrading of all”.1

Key words: Textualism, Gita, non-violence, dharma, metaphysical world, morality,

interpretation.

1. Textualism: it is a concept of law, a method of legal interpretation that primarily focuses on

interpreting the law based only on the words of the text without considering the history, intent or
other factors. I have chosen this word to express a more or less similar meaning.2

Textualism in the case of Gita and other scriptures is not ideal

We will explore this question through the standpoint of Tilak and Gandhi. However, first let us
see what the question stands for. Taking Gita literally would mean accepting and implementing
what is written in text as it is and not just the moral values or the idea of adherence to the moral
conduct.

1
Kant, What is Enlightenment?
2
LII, https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/textualism (htt)
Tilak writes in the initial pages of his commentary on Gita, “The Gita is not such a pot of
jugglery, that anyone can extract any meaning he likes out of it”3. Later, Tilak goes on
propounding the significance of karma yoga over the bhakti yoga and jnana yoga, Ralph in his
critique on Gita Rahasya writes, “The Gita-Rahasya reflects Tilak's activism and pragmatic
concern. Tilak saw in modern India a form of escapism based upon renunciation. Moksha was
sought at the expense of worldly activity. He saw that many Hindus sat idly by praising. Krishna
and chanting "Hari, Hari'' (Lord, lord) Tilak, however, wanted to mobilize all Indians for
political action.” (James)4 Tilak’s interpretation comes at the time when India was struggling
against colonial rule. It can be seen in his emphasis on karma yoga that he urges the society to
assume their duty which shall come to their way instead of sitting idly, a philosophy of energism.
He, by no means, emphasizes any particular act of violence rather spoke against the inactivity of
Hindus. Further in his book he rejects the idea of only assuming role assigned by caste system.
He rules out Varnashramdharma by saying “In ………………….four castes.”5 (Tilak, 1915) Here
his idea that ‘Gita is not a pot of jugglery…….’ gets contradicted. Now, where shall the man fall
once he has identified his self and his svabhav6 what duty then he must assume if not
Varnashramdharma. Tilak on the same page of his book remarks how the codes of Gita can be
applied to any form of society and not only society. Through his argument I would assert how
Textualism would lead to hermeneutical blunders which can be followed up by heinous
vigilantism. “Kshatriya fights, therefore, and in so doing escapes the bonds of karma (2.38). But
"what of the individual whose actions are not enjoined by caste rule and do not constitute a
recognized part of some institutionalized activity? Is such a person to resort to violence because
he individually has vowed an act of reprisal, for instance?”7

let us for example suppose there is a person identified his gun/svabhav, which aligning with
kshatriya dharma: to fight for the right cause8, now how must he act now? In the words of Mircea
Eliade, "the Bhagavad .... Gita , attempts to 'save' "all human acts, to 'justify' all profane .. ,
activity; for, by the very fact that he no longer enjoys their 'fruits,' man transforms his acts into
sacrifices-, that is, into ‘transpersonal dynamisms’ contributing to the maintenance of a cosmic
order”.9

Also it is evident that certain passages in the Gita can be used to justify war and killing in
general since the soul, cannot be destroyed and, in the final analysis, the body does not matter 10,
see the extreme example of the same in case of Hitler’s holocaust, a concept of ethical evil: “ But
fidelity to a principled decision is not enough for an act to qualify as truly ethical – sticking to a
problematic ‘principle’ doesn’t help a lot in such cases since the principle itself is wrong”.
(Zizek)11 Tilak also understands it when he says as Ralph mentions, ‘ “it is true that by taking
equability of Reason as the fundamental basis, ………………of freedom is greater’12

3
Tilak, Gita Rahasya p.28
4
Ralph J., a Critique of Tilak’s Karma p.233
5
Tilak, Gita Rahasya 696
6
guna
7
Ralph cited Brown in ‘a critique of Tilak’s Karma’ on page 108
8
BG 3.3
9
M. Eliade, Yoga: Immortality and Freedom (Princeton, N. Y. ,: 2nd ed., 1969), p. 157.
10
BG 2.30
11
S. Zizek, Class Struggle: Antagonism Beyond Fighting an Enemy, vol 10 C&C 349, p.350.
12
Ralph J., a Critique of Tilak’s Karma p. 109
Furthermore, in shlokas 4.36 and 9.30 it is mentioned that how a sin can be treated and how a
sinful person can be spared, it is true that both shlokas advocate the balance of justice and the sin
that has been committed shall be balanced out or canceled out by either gyan or bhakti but how
to incorporate the said verdicts in our empirical reality, if one is to take Gita in accordance with
Textualism. In a metaphysical world it is sure that the god almighty will absolve him, he who
commits sin but follows the path delineated by the God himself, but how shall this be enacted as
a law of a physical world where we are aware of the tendencies of humans? (“Out of the crooked
timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made”; “Man must be disciplined, for he is by
nature raw and wild.”13) and how shall one maintain the quotient of justice in our society? These
shlokas do uphold the reformative ways of dealing with sinful actions but can give permission to
omit retributive forms of justice if Textualism is the case and also it is important to note that
deterrence cannot be ensured in our society. Even if one concurs on solely reformative ways in
order to curb mischief in society, how this system shall be enacted when humans are with flaws
and they tend to deceive. even Tilak in his book concedes that all humans do not live with the
virtues, “So long as every human being in this world has not started living according to these
rules, should virtuous people,, by their virtuous conduct, allow themselves to be caught in the
nets spread by rascals or should they give measure for measure by way of retaliation and protect
themselves”14, then will this method be efficient in our empirical reality?

in Anusasanparva of Mahabharata, as Tilak mentions, hunting is justified 15. So, where does this
leave us if Textualism should be the way of implementing the texts.

With this thought one can’t help but to pick another point which is that the Gita is a literary text
as well. Gita is swarming with the poet's figure of speech. Let's consider the following just to
give an account to substantiate this understanding: “In fact, …………….Gita 16.21.” (htt1)

Conclusion

When quoting Gita, in recent trends, it can be seen how the emphasis is on the ‘employment of
violence’ in order to make things right. However it is a manipulative tactic to spur the listeners
and adherents with the notions of savagery for Gita or other famous scriptures do not preach for
the same. In Gita the emphasis is on doing the ‘right thing’ instead of ‘doing violence’.

Gandhi, gets the impetus of non-violence from Gita. he brings about a very interesting point that
when Gita was recited to Janmejay16 it was with the motive to prevent the massacre of snakes. he
mentions how Gita is not about righteousness of violence rather about while upholding the
righteousness or the dharma one must not make distinctions between one’s own and others. he
writes, “the question which Arjuna asks Shri Krishna is not whether it is right for him to kill. His
question is whether it would be right to kill his kinsmen. This question arises out of bias.
Bhishma and Drona, a kinsman and an honored person, stand vividly before his eyes. How can
he kill them?

13
Kant, Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, 1798
14
Tilak, Gita Rahasya p. 42
15
Tilak, Gita Rahasya p. 44
16
Son of Parikshit and great grandson of Arjuna
……………………incidents”.17 (Gandhi)

Our social and political culture differs significantly from that which existed during the time of
Gita, it speaks with a due consideration of Varnashramdharma, the doctrine of four Varna, but it
is not the norm of society anymore. Which man's Dharma is not maintaining peace? Which
man’s dharma would ask him to become intolerant. Culture is a dynamic thing. with time it is
bound to change and along with it changes the need of and structure of dharmic duties which a
man is supposed to perform. We all must learn from the Gita to stay moral and ethical. However,
we must also assess our society and the needs of the society as well as the moral norms of the
contemporary world and then act accordingly. This will save us from the dogmatism of traditions
and religion.

17
MK. Gandhi, The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi p.31
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