Terror, And The Pen

By Kesava Krsna Dasa

Recent deadly events in Paris culminated in a mass show of solidarity with the victims of terror attacks. A new edition of Charlie Hebdo is making brisk sales that depict the same controversial caricature that led to death threats for its slain editorial team. Defiance is in the air, as the pen is deemed mightier than the Kalashnikovs that seek to avenge their publications. The ‘right’ to “blaspheme”, as their lawyer put it, is a freedom to express, having its roots in the French Revolution, where it all began. Are there any Vaishnava perspectives on this?

Moderate leaders and politicians repeatedly remind the public that these terror attacks have nothing to do with religion. Their aim is to contain religious conflagration. Increasingly we see independent and national populist movements opposed to immigration and ‘Islamisation’ of their nations, gather mass support. The ‘clash of civilisations’ worry is gaining traction by the day. Multiculturalism it is hoped, is the gel to encourage tolerance and respect for other faiths or none-belief in God. And if that means having a right to make fun of or to blaspheme, we can expect more backlashes. Can the right to blaspheme coexist with religious adherence?

A fundamental problem for existing faiths is the “No other way but our way” claim to salvation. In spite of this, people generally coexist. Then what is it that causes division along religious lines? The tactics of “Divide and rule” have political origins with economic gain as outcomes. In other cases, religious strife flares up when isolated incidents spread as communal violence. We also cannot ignore the effects of aggressive proselytization and forced conversions – there is a competitive edge.

How does Vaisnavism fit into all of this? Vaisnavism is not a stranger to the marketplace of varied and exotic beliefs. In Kerala in South India, there are temples dedicated to Sakuni and Duryudhana, two arch villains of the claim for the throne at Hastinapur more than 5000 years ago. Elsewhere, the same “No other way but our way” boundary can assume despotic proportions when individuals claim messianic status and lead followers astray, often with tragic consequences. Vaisnavism has been through it all.

Within Vaisnavism itself there were threats to its existence by sahajiya (Those who take devotional service cheaply) influences. Even acts of terror were committed against Vaisnavas. We generally associate terror with indiscriminate killing of civilians. In former times, codes of warfare ensured combat on battlefields. When Asvattama killed the five sons of the Pandavas and Draupadi outside of a battlefield and then released an unwithdrawable brahmastra weapon at an unborn child within the womb of mother Uttara, Asvattama felt justified with his acts of terror.

Asvattama felt justified in committing barbarity against soft targets because:

1) His father Dronacarya was killed by ‘unfair’ means after the telling of a ‘lie’ by Yudhisthira
2) He wanted to please his master Duryodhana
3) To end the Pandava royal lineage
4) To avenge injustice

If we know what drove Asvattama to commit these acts, considering his desperation and disregard for civility, we can certainly see parallels with modern day forms of terror. Asvattama knew his killings were brutal cruelty intended to maximise grief. Is modern terrorism any different from this?. One man’s moment of terror at the hands of terrorists is another man’s avenging for justice. To be called a terrorist is an insult for a terrorist trying to avenge terror committed against victims he or she sympathises with – terror begets terror.

When terror strikes at multicultural societies meant to foster tolerance for atheists as well, who may mock religion, should we be surprised? When intolerant people live in countries that espouse freedom of artistic expression, already there are head-on religious and cultural differences at work. Charlie Hebdo has made fun of different faiths. Vaisnavism has been satirized by many ‘religious’ and cultural sources. How far are people prepared to go in order to protect the dignity of their beliefs?

Each faith has blasphemy limits. Some of them demand death for blasphemy. Such edicts are seen as backward and barbaric for those living in the ‘age of reason’. ‘Reasonable’ people will doubtless highlight strange or silly beliefs within faiths. People of one faith often disparage those of other faiths. It happens all the time. Would it be a sign of maturity and tolerance if adherents of religion simply accept that others will say unkind things about their beliefs in a free society, especially when no state laws have been violated?

People who make fun of religion often do so out of ignorance. Those on the receiving end of religious insults usually feel insulted. How they react within a free society will determine their degree of tolerance or lack of it. This must be difficult when a faith exhorts death or severe retribution for religious mockery. People are afraid of sin if they do not deal with blasphemy. When blasphemy is allowed and committed, isn’t that a risk and choice to make by living in a free country? Is the demand to introduce blasphemy laws in a free country going to compromise free speech?

There are blasphemy limits in Vaisnavism as well. These can be minimised when practitioners avoid the ignorant, not out of spite, elitism or aloofness, but to lessen a likelihood of offence. Meanwhile, Vaisnavas live, work and interact with society. Vaisnavas are able to extract the devotional essence of all faiths and religions and respect them. Vaisnavas are able to tolerate insult or injustice against themselves, but will feel displeasure when the same is committed against others. How far will Vaisnavas go to avenge? Or do they not do such things?

What Dhruva Maharaja did to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of a yaksa clan, is of interest. Dhruva Maharaja is a Vaisnava. He went out to confront the mystical yaksas. During battle, Dhruva Maharaja more than avenged his brother’s death – he killed more yaksas than necessary. He had to be told by his grandfather who was a Manu, to desist from over-killing. The families of those slain yaksas would have seen Dhruva Maharaja as an indiscriminate terrorist. However, the fighting took place out on a battlefield.

The reasoning given to Dhruva Maharaja was that it is improper to kill innocent people related to those who killed his brother, even though they were fighting. The “Guilty by association” gambit is frowned upon by Manu and subsequently in Vedic society. What we see today are numbers of innocent people being targeted and killed because they happen to share the same faith or religion as those who commit terror – guilty by association. This in turn leads to further revenge killings.

At this point, one may say that Lord Krishna once used His Sudarshna Chakra to destroy the entire city of Kasi (Varansi), that was “More ravaging than modern bombs” as reprisal for Sudaksina’s tantric ploys to kill Him. Hanuman set fire to Lanka. The history of ksatriya kings is littered with revenges. When the “Guilty by association” factor plays out, we see additional victims of retribution.

“Guilty by association” causes an intolerant person of one faith to see all others outside of it as sinners, heretics, heathens, pagans, infidels, demons and the rest. Acts of terror are not all ‘religious’. They are motivated by politics and greed too. It continues to terrify and makes governments increase security measures that curtail civil liberties. The might of the pen then pens reactionary literature to overcome them and to begin new revolutions that perpetuate human schisms.

Throughout all problems of human nature and society, the penned writings of enlightened individuals who have unique perspectives from above the fray, offer an inward solution. Mortality, disease and old age melancholies proliferate, yet reminders of our self, being beyond the causes of terror and suffering abound in Vaisnava literature. The Vaisnava message is the commonality of one Supreme Being who is the focus of worship for all Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus and others – we are all children of the same one God.

This bonding simplicity which can unify all of humanity is ruined by “Guilty by association” divisiveness strongly espoused by intolerance of other faiths. Just as humanists and atheists can converge on a human platform without the need for a deity, people of religion have the problem of seeing a different God in every other faith. Unless these barricades are broken with informed introspection, terror accentuated by differences will encourage more defiant ‘blasphemy’ via the pen.

The Vaisnava outlook is that all names of God, be it Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu and numerous other names, all belong to the same One Supreme Deity. Despite our human bodily colour differences, we all share a common bond with the same father. If people of religion cannot unite this way, or they allow politics and national interests to divide, we can expect further mockery that fuels repetitive retaliation.

‘Enlightened’ people of religion are meant to embody peaceful coexistence. If they are unable to do this, they must take some blame when ridicule comes their way from ‘unbelievers’, who also want peaceful coexistence. ‘Reasonable’ people are not attracted to the competition for converts, nor are they impressed with unquestioning dogma. Many none-believers or agnostics anticipate some Supreme Being, but when they see intolerance in ‘religious’ people, who can blame them if they remain sceptics? When such scepticism combines with the rigours of science, religious faith has more to contend with.

With deep introspection, if the scholars and leaders of all the major faiths consider that there is actually one Supreme Deity for everyone and that all names attributed are bona-fide, and decide to unite under the aegis of shared common values, this will be a revolution of all revolutions. When Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists are able, with unison, to happily coexist and join together in glorifying the names of the One Supreme, there should be a reduction in terror related incidents. This is the pragmatic side of Vaisnavism.

Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa