Tattva-viveka

Morality

Swami - November 1, 2013 1:31 pm

I have been citing this in some of my recent classes. It is from the Santi Parva of the Mahabharata. Such a nice statement in a book that is so much about moral principles. The relativity of morality and the emphasis on moral principles over moral laws is helpful at a time when religion is often thought of as being constituted of ancient moral laws that sometimes appear to make little sense in today's world.

Bhismadeva: As dust that lies on the earth, if pounded between two stones, becomes finer and finer, even so questions of morality, the more they are reflected upon and discussed, become finer and finer.

Tadiya Dasi - November 1, 2013 6:53 pm

Thank you for sharing this quote with us, and for shedding some more light on it's background here. As I was listening to your recent lectures, I did pay attention to this quote: thinking that I want to share it with a friend of mine, who I went to university with...thinking that she would really appreciate it

Such a nice statement in a book that is so much about moral principles. The relativity of morality and the emphasis on moral principles over moral laws is helpful at a time when religion is often thought of as being constituted of ancient moral laws that sometimes appear to make little sense in today's world.

Nandini Dasi - November 5, 2013 2:11 am

Thank you for posting this. In terms of addressing the relativity of morality in today's world, I also liked the idea you raised in that same talk about letting bhakti be the moral compass -- accepting whatever is beneficial for bhakti and rejecting what is not beneficial for bhakti. It seems so simple, but it's a very practical question I'm inspired to ask myself when making decisions, large and small.

Bhakta Craig - November 22, 2013 3:16 pm

Cool!

I really like this verse. I am wondering about the first part, "As dust that lies on the earth, if pounded between two stones.." could someone help me to understand the metaphor? I can see how the two stones could be right and wrong, but why dust lying on the earth?

Swami - November 22, 2013 7:19 pm

The idea is the the more one discusses two sides of a moral issue (the two stones) the more subtle the actual truth of the matter is. Thus the two stones opposed to one another become the fine dust in which the two opposing points come together. But the overriding idea is that moral issues are not black and white. They must be approached with reason.

Bhakta Craig - November 22, 2013 10:59 pm

Thank you for elaborating on this.