VYADHA GITA

Contents

. Introduction

. Teachings of the Vyadha Gita

. Conclusion

Introduction

The Vyadha Gita is contained in the epic Mahabharata in the Vana Parva section or Book 3. This book discusses the sojourns of the Pandavas in the forest during their twelve year exile and the lessons they learnt on moral ethics and values all of which helped to shape their character. This Gita is told to Yudhisthira by Sage Markandeya. It is very popular as it tells the story of how an arrogant Brahmin was humbled by a simple butcher or Vyadha and learns about selfless work or Nishkama Karma and Dharma or righteousness. It is only in the spiritual realm where class, creed, gender and birth have no relevance on the spiritual progress of the aspirant and devotion and the grace of God are the only qualifications needed for a spiritual aspirant to attain liberation.

Teachings of the Vyadha Gita

Sage Markandeya tells Yudhishthira a beautiful story of a butcher, a housewife and a Brahmin. Once there lived a virtuous Brahmin who was well versed in the scriptures and penances. One day as he sat under a tree meditating, a female crane sitting on the tree befouled him. The enraged Brahmin gets disturbed and casts his angry glances on the crane. The crane immediately gets burnt to ashes. The Brahmin is stunned but thrilled at his attainment of yogic power. He then enters a village and approaches a home for procuring alms. The housewife requests him to wait as she is busy serving her husband. This angers the Brahmin but the chaste woman admonishes him and tells him that she is not a crane to be burnt by his anger. She has been performing her duties sincerely, serving her family and all the learned Brahmanas who came to her. She said that she knew the high spiritual level and wisdom of the Brahmanas and their level of forgiveness. She explained that she considered her husband as the highest of Gods so serving him was her first priority. Anger and passion were the worst enemies of the spiritual soul and asked him of what use were the spiritual heights he reached when he could not control his senses, when the study of the Vedas and other spiritual texts did not give him the compassion to feel for an innocent bird. Without virtues like honesty, truth, simplicity in behaviour and other noble qualities, there was no use of intellectual expertise and knowledge. Humbled by her calm and wise words the Brahmin asked her how she had acquired this knowledge to which the chaste woman told him that she practised no austerities but only did her duties wholeheartedly and cheerfully and this illumined her and gave her the power to read his thoughts. She asked him to proceed to Mithila where there lived a butcher who would be able to answer all his questions and guide him. The Brahmin then proceeded to Mithila impressed by the housewife’s advice on morality and virtues. There he saw the butcher busily engaged in his duties of serving the customers. The butcher noticing the Brahmin reverentially approached him and asked him if he was sent by the housewife and that he knew the purpose of the Brahmin’s visit to him. The Brahmin was surprised and asked him how when he was so knowledgeable could he continue practising such a cruel trade. The butcher informed him that he was simply continuing the trade practised by his forefathers from birth so felt nothing wrong as he was discharging his duties to the best of his abilities. He said he was a householder who took care of his family and served his aged parents and he led a virtuous life, practising human values and never spoke ill of anyone and served all who came to him. He said the different varnas or stations in life decreed different forms of profession and doing them steadfastly was the main goal in achieving harmony in society. This was especially true in King Janaka’s kingdom of Mithila and due to this the kingdom prospered and the subjects led a pure and virtuous life. He spoke on truthfulness and abstinence from doing injury to others, dedicating all actions to God without an eye on the fruits of the action performed and always performing actions in accordance with dharma or righteousness. In this way he explained to the Brahmin how to lead a virtuous life. Being highly advanced spiritually he then proceeded to answer all questions put to him by the Brahmin on birth and death, the three attributes of Rajas, Tamas and Sattwa, the vital airs, the mind and its vagaries and the powers of desires and attachment resulting in the cycle of birth and death. Bodily afflictions could be cured with medicines but only spiritual wisdom could cure mental ones. Thus it is only knowledge that differentiates one human being from another. The wise are always content and in peace while the foolish unable to control their mind wander about in delusion.

Conclusion

The Vyadha Gita explains how no duty is impure, only the way the work is done and the intention behind it is important. No one should be judged on the basis of his birth or class or gender and a Brahmana is one who leads a virtuous life and has an exemplary character. It is evil karma that leads a man to doom and not his station of birth. The doors of the highest realisation are open to all. Right conduct is achieved by avoiding vices and promoting virtues. Thus the dictum ‘Work is Worship’ is very well expressed and practised in this Gita.