The barrel of my M4 assault rifle is slender, black and cold. The rippled plastic grips fit ergonomically to a mission-driven hand; one that aggresses to protect a nation and way of life. With each trigger squeeze, a 5.56 caliber bullet breaches the muzzle at 2,900 feet per second with the sole purpose of taking another's life. Despite its lethality, this weapon is only a piece of metal. It is nothing without the mind and heart of the soldier perched behind it. As I don my body armor, grab my weapon and prepare to lead my platoon of 32 soldiers into Afghanistan, I hesitate. I turn to the portrait of Krishna in my office and demand of him, "What is the worth of this fight? Is it worth our limbs, our lives, or the heartbreak of our parents? What cause is so important as to merit the coming violence?" And so begins my war within: the quest for an identity.
Like most Indian youth in the U.S., I faced the inner conflict between my Indian and American identities. At home, I watched Bollywood movies and prayed to Hindu deities; but at school, I spoke English, played football and did whatever I could to emulate a typical American childhood. I felt pulled in two directions: one identity abandoning my Indian heritage, the other neglecting my American way of life. Thus, I went through my most formative years without knowing who I was or what I stood for.
As high school came to an end, I hastily made the decision to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but did so in vain. At the time, I was not sure about being an Army officer. I was just looking for a shining star for my résumé. I was looking for a way to pay for college. Perhaps on a deeper level, I was looking for a sense of belonging. I wanted an identity to which everyone in my immediate surroundings could relate and respect.
The U.S. Army is a rare home for an Indian immigrant, but no other endeavor has ever given me more professional and spiritual fulfillment than the experience of military service. The army challenged my most extreme patriotic influences against my peaceful Hindu beliefs. How could I serve patriotically as a U.S. Army Officer, owning the responsibility of waging war against our national enemies, but remain a man of the Hindu faith believing in the peaceful coexistence of all beings? This was a deep philosophical confrontation, but I accepted it with resolve.
Through days of wet, cold, hot, humid, tired and hungry, I maintained a vegetarian diet. After a long day of military training, I returned to my barracks to indulge myself in the poetry of the Bhagavad Gita. I found solace in Arjuna's struggle as a shamed warrior fighting against his blood. I found strength in Krishna's assertion of conviction and discipline. I found that, though typical Hindus and soldiers lead vastly different lives, both share a common purpose: to serve a higher calling for good. Thus, there was no need for a struggle between my American and Hindu identities; rather, finding strength in one made me stronger in the other.
My Hindu-American identity is now a defining part of my life. As Arjuna beckons of his charioteer, "How can I wage war against my family? I would rather surrender, than commit such atrocities." Krishna affirms that it is our duty as Hindus to do what we believe is right, regardless of the opposition. When peaceful attempts to reconcile fail, we must be prepared to defend the values in which we so whole-heartedly believe. It is this reasoning that convinces Arjuna to fight to protect his kingdom. It is this reasoning that Gandhi used when supporting the British army's aggression against the Nazis in World War II. This reasoning is why I feel so compelled to defend this nation, that has given my family countless gifts, against those who wish to do it unnecessary harm. I do not fight in spite of my religion. I fight inspired by it.
The importance of the Hindu-American identity extends beyond a vague resolve to fight for what you believe in. Each of us is faced daily with moral challenges in this country, and our reactions to them define our spiritual identities. This nation is in an ethical crisis, from the poorest of American ghettos through the wealthiest of corporate banks. Hindu-Americans are a dominant source of influence, wealth and intellect in this nation, so what does it say of our personal constitutions if we tolerate the ethical degradation around us? We have the means to drastically improve the ethical standards in this country. We owe it to ourselves as Hindu-Americans to defend, as Arjuna does his Kingdom, the moral foundations which have made this country a haven for religious and ethnic tolerance. We could collectively sit on the sidelines and criticize our leadership as many Americans do. But if we aspire to follow Krishna's guidance, it is our duty to proactively defend the integrity that upholds our great society. This is the new importance, the calling, of the Hindu-American identity: Inspired by our faith, we must actively rebuild our nation's character and preserve it for our posterity. So I ask of each Hindu-American: What have you done to make America stronger for our children?
Krishna's picture sits in my office as a constant reminder of my Hindu-American identity; a reminder that strength in principle outweighs the comfort of indifference. No matter what challenges lie ahead of me, I will bear my uniform each day with pride knowing I am defending a nation I truly love and caring for a platoon of soldiers who do the same. It is through the discharge of my duties to God and country that I have finally found the identity I was looking for all along: that of a fulfilled Hindu-American.
This was the winning essay for Hindu American Foundation's 2009 NextGen contest
Hinduism in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David Briggs: Hindu Americans: The Surprising, Hidden Population ...
Some of the greatest spiritual insights developed under the skies of India. This was a beautifully written essay. Hindu has potential to contribute great things to American culture. Don’t ever forget your Hindu heritage.
Bhagwat Gita a war manual of Hindus in which Krishna emphasis lies on turning a vulnerable man into an effective killing machine having no remorse or regard towards the consequence of his actions.
Krishna debilates the consciousness of Arjuna and encourgaes him to chose the Dharma of his warrior-caste and commit violence without caring about the result of his actions. In essence, the document is manual of Ethical subversion.
If not, what credentials do you hold to allow such interpretation and strong claims?
I don't need any credentials for that. And, I know for sure there are many scholars who have critcally analyzed Gita and have also come to the same conclusions.
In Gita, Arjuna is hesitant to conduct the war against his own blood but Krishna’s principal teaching for Arjuna is that as a man from the warrior-caste his job is more important than its consequences. Basically, Krishna's aim is to make one who is decapitated from the results of his own actions. This is the foremost principle of Gita.
The methodology Krishna uses to remind Arjuna of his warrior-caste duties are romanticizing apocolyptic violence as the duty.
Death am I, and my present task
Destruction. (11:32)
Arise, on fame, on victory,
On kingly joys intent!
They are already slain by me;
Be you the instrument. (11: 32–33)
By turning a human being into a weapon or instrument essentially is a debasement of essnetial humanity in order to commit to numbed violence.
It is therefore no wonder that Gita became an inspiration to both Oppenheimer and Henrich Himmler who romanticized mass-destruction and themselves remained detached from the consequences of their actions -as part of their job and duty.
Eg: you didn't describe how did this Karma create 300 millions Pariahs in Hinduism and millions of caste-Slaves? For these millions living in perpetual slavery of Hinduism, it is a existensial consequence of Casteism against which they have no control.
In Hinduism, Karma and Dharma are pre-determined according to one's Caste.Hence, there is no morality in actions. Actions are amoral.
Krishana's amoral emphasizes on Karma(action) of detached killing as foremost aspect of Arjuna's Dharma/Duty is an effective manipulation of Ethics in order to commit to numbed violence.
Query: Why is it that some of the posters on this site enjoy making degrading comments about religion?
Oh! Wait. India has a huge military.
Thus Lord Krishna had to shake him, "Whence has this blemish,alien to honourable men, causing disgrace and oposed to heaven, come upon you, Arjuna, at this untimely hour?"
This verse is ment to shock Arjuna out of his state of suspension so that he would listen to Lord Krishna.
There is so much in that translation by Maharishi that I have been lucky enough to find and it is truly a great work.
A 2009 essay, I hope your home safe now.
From the Bhagavad Gita a new translation and commentary ch.1-6 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Lord Krishna to Arjuna,
The Vedas' concern is with the three gunas. Be without the three gunas, O Arjuna, freed from duality, ever firm in purity, independent of possessions, possessed of the Self.
It has been said that the only spiritual texts an aspirant needs are The New Testament, The Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The Bhagavad Gita is one of the world's truly great spiritual texts. My paperback copy is 30+ years old (Penguin Classic of translation by Juan Mascaro), held together with tape. I return to it every 2-3 years and always draw more and more out of it with each re-reading.
I have interpreted Krishna's enjoining of Arjuna to fight as based upon Arjuna's over identification with form life, and not enough emphasis upon the "undying" - the soul. The essence seems to be to achieve "yoga" - union - with the soul through right fulfillment of one's dharma. The challenge is that union occurs quicker or slower, based upon how well one keeps his/her eyes on Krishna (the Soul):
"Hear now, Arjuna, how thou shalt have the full vision of me, if thy heart is set on me and if, striving for Yoga, I am thy refuge supreme."
There is much in the Bhagavad Gita, and Krishna's teaching about the Soul, that suggests one of my life themes: there is another dimension in consciousness to which we all can aspire and with which we can make contact. The great spiritual teachings of the great religions coupled with what science is teaching us re "parallel dimensions" lead me continually to that premise.
Thank you, again!
Wayne
The author made it clear he didn't enlist to defend Dharma but did so for the money and identity which is fine, everyone has their reasons. Now that he's enlisted, reading the Gita can only help him.