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the Quintessential Pedestrian Dilettante and question on morality

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narayanan.k.m • January 13, 2000 


Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Respected  Sri.venkat and Sri. Agarwal,

I would like to share few ideas on Sri.Agarwal's question on morality and
Quintessential Pedestrian Dilettante of Venakt.
(Oh venkat, your way of choosing words are quite profound)

At first  I want to clarify that it is only some of the western philosophers who
said that code of Morality is designed by  so called "priests" who could not
overpower the
"strong man" just to ensure that they could survive their onslaught by making
them fear of things like "morality" which is purely subjective.

hence "morality" was thought as something  subjective  and hence there were
hundred ways of interpretations and misrepresentations.

However, for the sanatana dharama, it is very ABSOLUTE. The famed Manusmriti,
though shouted by every single politician of this country as something bad,
it is a very good work on code of conduct and dharmic way of living.

I am not passing any judgement on  Manu's classification of caste and different
ruling for different people based on their caste just to ensure that we are not
deviating  from this  discussion to some arguments.

However, Manu had given a workable law (during olden times) where Aristocracy,
priest class and labour class all other could get justice.

If so called 'high class' committed any mistake, the punishment was even more
rigorous and the  priest class could not accumulate
wealth except doing  learning and teaching. they could be advisors to
aristocracy but still should only beg to eat their food.

But what happened? due to Industrial revolution the production methods undergone
change, so also the thoughts about accumulation of wealth.

The so called "priest" class left their profession and started earning and later
accumulating wealth.

this resulted in failure ( or fall?) of sanatana dharma. Once that fails all the
systems started failing . religion has become more of demonstrative and it is
considered as against peace. (look our religion says OM SHANTHI, SHANTHI
.....etc). religion  no more results in introspection of every human where final
judge is absolute sastras and not individual judgements.

To answer Shri.Agarwal question if morality is valid. I say that it valid and
absolute. if we are unfortunate enough who could not follow some of the rigorous
ones, we can only Surrender to God and ask him for "Freedom" from everything
except dependence on Him.

to answer Shri.Vekat's question if we could lead an idealistic life and if we
cannot what to do, I think only remedy is seeking His Service and Doing His
service and
'trying ' to live like a sthitha Pragya as God says. even we are unable to
anything, Again His Lotus feet is the Only refuge.

I am sorry for this long reply.

I wish all of our members a Happy Sankaranthi.

Dasan

K.M.Narayanan
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