O’ Lord ! O’ My Lord ! May I never forget You !

Swami Ramsukhdas

|| Shri Hari ||

The Cause of Conflict

tvameva mata cha pita tvameva

tvameva bandhuscha sakha tvameva |

tvameva vidyaa dravinam tvameva

tvameva sarvam mama devadeva ||

Swami Ramsukhdas

|| Shri Hari ||

The Cause of Conflict

These days it is being propagated that conflict in society is due to differences in "Jaati" i.e. race, nationality, community, caste, lineage, position by birth etc., and therefore differences in "jaati" should not be accepted / acknowledged / considered. This is an entirely misunderstood belief / opinion. In reality, conflict does not arise from differences of "Jaati" (race, nationality, community, caste, lineage, position by birth etc.), on the contrary it arises out of selfishness and pride, due to egoism.

In the world, "jaati" (race, nationality, class, community, caste, lineage, position by birth etc.) differences are but natural. In various countries there are many types "jaati" of people; not only among human beings, but also among animals, birds, trees and shrubs etc., there are differences of "jaati" that are acknowledged. Cows, sheep, goats, horses, camels, dogs, and others belonging to different species and within each species there are also variations. It is by their "jaati" alone that their unique characteristics and qualities are recognized. Their traders are very aware of each "jaati's" characteristic and these are valued and priced accordingly. Similarly, each tree belongs to a "jaati" and also the various fruits, vegetables and crops have a "jaati" (class). The differences arise from the very fact that creation is dissimilar and no two things are the same, even if these look alike. So the reason for conflict is not "jaati (class, caste, race, nationality, etc.); rather all conflict, opposition, resistance arises due to selfishness and pride, and these are demoniac traits.

Another thing that has been seen is that generally there are no fights and conflicts in the different "jaatis" (classes, caste, communities, race etc.), but opposition and conflict exists in the same "jaati" due to pride and selfishness. e.g. men fight with men and women fight other women. Among animals, the males clash with males and females with their counterparts. A male dog contends with a male dog and the female dog with another female dog. Among monkeys the male monkey leads a female group. If a male monkey is born, the mother hides it for protection, as the father becomes jealous of the male child and tries to kill it, while it does not kill a female child. This happens among dogs as well. A male puppy is killed by the dog due to threat of future competition and vice versa.

Among Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, there is no animosity or fights with each other. A Brahmana contends with a Brahmana, a Kshatriya with a kshatriya and so on. It means that wherever the livelihood, occupation, means of sustenance are the same, there is a constant selfish struggle for co-existence. If we concede that everybody has the right to do any work, then there may be greater conflict. It means that if one can get more money, honour, and status from a specific means of livelihood, everybody will do that job and nobody would do the work paying lower wages and respect. Everybody would desire higher jobs, while nobody would want to do low category work. As previously, only the Rajaputas used to pick up arms for the state, but now everybody can fight. In the past, the fours castes or orders of life would follow their own caste duties, but now all the castes have equal rights and thus the conflict would multiply sixteen fold. Previously, people used to work in accordance with the traditions of their caste or stage of life (Ashrama) and used to live in peace and harmony. But today, the traditions of caste (order) having been obliterated; they for selfish reasons are divided into many parties, and fight for political power, among themselves. For the votes of other communities, Hindus destroy other Hindus. A mother, father and son may vote for three different parties and quarrel in their homes. It is preached that all must be united together, but in fact, there is disunity amongst them, with mother father, son and brother all separated from each other, and rendered apart. The order of life (Varna) and stage of life (Ashrama) were divided on the basis of tradition and duties, while the parties are established only on mere selfishness.

It is because of selfishness and pride (vanity), that people of different castes, stage of life (Ashramas), communities etc., being influenced by the special interests of their order, support their own kind and condemn others.

There is a story on this subject, of a prostitute. She thought how to attain salvation. She approached some holymen (Sadhus), who advised her to keep the company of holymen and serve them; they being ascetics would bless her. Then she went to some Brahmanas, who said that the Sadhus are frauds, but they themselves are Brahmanas from birth and are traditional teachers, and if she rendered service to them, she would attain salvation. Then she approached some hermits (Sannyasis) who advised her, that a Sannyasi is the teacher of all castes ad by serving them, she would attain salvation. Then she went to some recluses (vairaagis), who informed her that a recluse is the best of all and with service rendered to him, she would attain salvation. Later she approached different religious leaders and each extolled his own community, while criticising others. They invited her to become their disciple and accept their Mantras ad they promised to initiate her, which would lead her to salvation. In short, wherever the prostitute when, she was advised by each group for the superiority of their class, sect or community, which now became obvious to her. She then realized that she had understood the basis of their responses and felt that she had found the solution. The Sadhus had advised her for the worship of Sadhus, the Brahmanas recommended the service of Brahmanas; so she decided to worship prostitutes. She then decided to arrange a special feast and invite the prostitutes there. They started appearing at the function at the prescribed time.

Outside the village, there lived an ascetic (Sadhu) who saw what was happening and thought about it. When he came to know that the prostitute was having a special feast, he went there to impart moral teaching to her. As food was under preparation, the cook was pouring the cooked rice-water into a drain. The prostitute was watching everything from the roof of the house. The ascetic sat near the drain and started washing his hands with the rice-water. The prostitute asked him as to what he was doing. He said - ‘Are you blind? Can you not see that I am washing my hands?’ The prostitute tried to stop him, but he refused to listen. So she came down from the roof and told the ascetic (Baba), that he was washing his hands with rice water, which would make his hands dirtier. She pleaded with him to use clean water to wash his hands. The ascetic said, that if the rice-water would dirty his hands, were the hands of the prostitutes that she is serving any cleaner that it would lead her to salvation? On hearing this, the prostitute realized that he was right, and that she would not attain salvation by serving those prostitutes. The ascetic said further, ‘A saint who is not biased to any sect, order or community ad does not insist on any exclusive association and whose conduct is pure and who thinks from within for the welfare of others without any selfish motive - such a saint whether male or female, Sadhu or Brahmana or belonging to any caste, sect, or denomination is fit for company and he will lead you to salvation.’

In all means, where there is selfishness and pride, and where there is desires for mundane pleasures and prosperity; there demoniac nature will certainly prevail. Where demoniac nature prevails, there can’t be peace; there will be disquietude, conflict and degradation.