Jihad in the Earliest Hindu Texts

Jun 16 2008

Posted by: 阿偉 in Religion

Among the primitive religions around the world, there are tales in which a hero accomplishes a great feat for mankind. For example, the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican societies held the warrior ethos in highest regard, and consecrated their soldiers through complex initiation rites. Meanwhile to the Greeks, the characters of the Iliad were not only skilled warriors, but also devotees of the Greek gods. In more developed religions, warriors still serve as archetypes of righteous action and “defenders of the faith”. Guanyu (關羽), a famous Chinese general, gained a place in the Daoist and Buddhist pantheons as a patron saint of those who observe the code of brotherhood and righteousness.

In the earliest stages of Hinduism, Indo-Aryan society divided itself into four castes: the śûdras, the vaiśya, the kśatriya, and the brahmana. With the exception of Agni, Indra, the god of war, is the chief god of the Rig Vedas, and his exploits against the Asuras in the struggle between the dharma and lawlessness. A Vedic him invoking Indra states: “Indra, bring wealth that gives delight, the victor’s ever conquering wealth…by means of which we may repel our foes in battle hand to hand.” Thus, if Indra was the “patron saint” of the earliest kśatriya, then their role was also integral to early Hindu society. Vedic tradition likens the kśatriya who upholds dharma to the hand of the Gods, carrying out the divine will, and in rank only to the Brahmans. This dichotomy parallels the Platonic worldview in which “the warriors (φύλακες) corresponded to the animus and to the chest (θυμοιδές),” (Evola, 90) while the other rulers corresponded to the head, and lower classes correspond to the faculty of desire. Neither the act of war nor the status of a kśatriya is something that is regarded with irreverence, but a duty and a necessary method of preserving society.

If the Vedic texts lay the groundwork for the relevance of the kśatriya, then the Bhagavad Gîtâ is a parable for perfecting the lifestyle of the warrior ascetic. The Bhagavad Gîtâ is the discourse before a climactic battle at Kurukshetra, between Krishna and Arjuna. When the battle is about to begin Arjuna states his despondency at the task set out before him. He is not only frightened by the battle about to ensue, but also is facing the dilemma of having to kill his kinsmen. Responding to his claims, Krishna tells him almost immediately, “the wise grieve for neither the dead nor the living” (Bhagavad Gîtâ 2.11). Krishna says this for two reasons: from the ethical perspective, if the Kauravas are ignoble, then there is no harm done to the world in killing them. Likewise, is the Pandavas are noble, then there is no sense in expressing grief for righteous conduct, for “in death [they] will gain heaven” (Bhagavad Gîtâ 2.37). Similarly, these verses also reveal the ascetic dimension of the warrior. In verse 2.11, Arjuna has been scolded for uttering words of wisdom whilst grieving unwisely; this is a command to cut through doubt that leads to delusion. Krishna later expounds on the same asceticism by saying, “The man who, giving up all objects of desires, moves about seeking nothing…wins peace” (Bhagavad Gîtâ 2.71) and admonishes Arjuna to fight without concern. This demonstrates detachment from the material the emotional. In other words, the true warrior ascetic feels neither anger nor fear towards his enemy, elevating the purpose of battle from the earthly to the righteous.

To the Hindus, each person had a station in life. While non-violence later came to be preferred in everyday affairs with fellow man and animals, this applied only to the law-abiding, moral citizens who followed the rites of the Vedas. We can thus clearly see that for the kśatriya, fighting was not only permissible, but sanctioned and indeed a religious fufillment required for social stability in early Hindu society. Through the physical act of battle, they fufill the martial aspect of the warrior, and in in striving to enjoin the righteous and preserve moral harmony without involving personal concern, they fufill the spiritual aspect of the ascetic. Thus, holy war predates Islam, and the Islamic concept of jihad (striving, struggle) is merely another manifestation of the same archetype.

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