Friday, June 13, 2014

THE BIBLE vis-a-vis MAHABHARATA , JOHN 11:50, ONE BAD APPLE SPOILS THE WHOLE BARREL !!!

The Bible has got much much in common with the Mahabharata. It can mean that in the misty past, Indian civilizational thought prevaded the entire populated world.

BIBLE, GOSPEL OF JOHN
John 11 : 50  “You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man DIE for the people than to have  the whole nation destroyed.” – From the Bible, proclaimed by Caiaphas, the Jewish
 High Priest (of the Snahedrin)




MAHABHARATA

Compare the above with what Krishna says in the Mahabharata. In fact John 11:50 is  exactly similar to the idea espoused in the Mahabharata. But by the time of the  Bible the individual is given capital punishment, whereas in the time of the MBh anterior to it, imprisonment or binding the individual in some manner was advocated. The  Mahabharata advises to abandon the individual for the sake of the nation , by binding such a person or confining him in jail, whereas in The Bible, such an individual has to die, ie put to death.

“One man should be sacrificed  for the benefit of a race; a race should be sacrificed for the good of a town;  a town should be sacrificed for the good of the community; and for the sake of the soul should even the earth be sacrificed.” – Sloka 49, Udyoga Parva, Chapter 128, (Bhagavat-Yana-Parva) Continued, Speech of Sri-Krishna, MBh, Page 342, Vol.3, Parimal Publications.

(Here the Sanskrit word used for sacrifice is ‘thye-jeth” , meaning
abandon/give-up)

OR Vidura  telling Dhritarashtra

“A man should be sacrificed for the sake of a family; a family should be sacrificed for the sake of a village; a village  for a kingdom; and the whole world for the soul.” – Sloka 17, Udyogaparva, Chapter 37, (Prajagara Parva) Continued, The principles of morality explained by Vidura, Vol 3 MBh, p.115, Parimal Pub,2008
(Here the Sanskrit word used for sacrifice is ‘thye-jeth” , meaning abandon/give-up)

Vidura again will remind Dhritharashtra  “I told you, as soon as he was born, O king, abandon this one son, Duryodhana. By his abandonment (you will see) the proper development of your hundred sons; and by not abandoning him, there will be the destruction of your hundred sons.” – Sloka 5,Udyoga Parva, Chapter 39, (Prajagara Parva) Continued, The Speech of Vidura, p.124, Vol.3

(Here the Sanskrit word used for abandon is ‘thye-jeth’, meaning give-up)

That gain should not be highly thought of, which ultimately brings destruction; and that loss should not be considered as loss, which finally results in prosperity.- Sloka 6
That, O great king, is not loss which brings on gain; but that should be regarded as loss which being gained causes much loss.- Sloka 7, Udyoga Parva, Chapter 39, (Prajagara Parva) Continued, The Speech of Vidura, p.124, Vol.3

BIBLE, GOSPEL OF MATTHEW - Comaprison with the Human Body

A diseased organ if it responds to treatment and healing , should be attended to and saved. But if the organ is beyond any redemption, it has to be discarded. Similarly if law and order has to prevail in society, which essentially is required for the health of society, the erring member disturbing the peace has to be put away. 

The sum of the parts is the whole, and if a part (one part) becomes bad or condemned, the whole is bound to suffer the same fate. Therefore that part which has become bad, must be removed to save the rest. If one individual in a community becomes a rotten apple, the entire lot,ie. the whole community will be considered as rotten, and likely to subject to bad consequences. To save the whole lot , the one rotten apple is discarded. In medicine cancerous cells are destroyed or removed by surgical operation to save the remaining healthy cells. The Gospel of Mathew drives home this point with a simile.

  Mathew 5: 29 “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”

And Mathew 5:30 “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

The above two are exactly similar in idea to the following two, again found further ahead in the Gospel of Mathew.

Mathew 18:8 “And if your hand or your foot causes you to  stumble (sin), cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life  maimed (crippled) or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.”

Mathew 18:9 “And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear (gouge)  it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.(hell of fire)

St.Paul & 1 Corinthians 12:26 - Again similar idea, connected to the human body

New International Version: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”
English Standard Version: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
Elsewhere in Gospel of John, John 18: 14 “Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person DIE
for the people.”  The infliction of harsh measures became much common by the time of The Bible. Or did the Evangelists deliberately wished to make this ancient custom , by replacing the word ‘abandon’  with ‘death’, sound cruel, with the further intention of projecting Caiaphas as a cruel person !!???

Caiphas is projected as a villain in the Bible, for telling the ‘principle’ -one may be sacrificed for the sake of the whole-  and  practically applying it in trying Jesus. The same principle were expounded by another evangelist Mathew. (but in different context). (As per Mt.5.29, 5.30, 18.8 & 18.9).

 Who is Caiphas !???
For this one has to know the political situation existing at the time of Jesus, from his Birth to his death. “The life of Jesus began possibly in 6/5 BC, in the closing years of the reign of Herod the Great (37BC -4BC), and ended during the governorship of Pontius Pilate (AD 26-36), probably in AD 30. His early childhood coincided with quarrels  about the succession of Herod. Constant political turmoil was caused by a series of uprisings. The emperor Augustsus divided the realm into three parts among the surviving sons of  Herod. Archelaus  was put in charge of Judea, Idumaea and
Samaria (4 BC –AD6), Antipas of Galilee (4 BC-AD 39) and Philip of territories to the north and east of Galilee (4 BC- AD 33/34).  None of them inherited the royal title.

Archelaus was dismissed by Augustus in AD 6. Judaea was then turned into a Roman province and the government of the country  was transferred to a PREFECT, (any of several high military or civil officials in ancient Rome) appointed by the emperor. The reorganization was effected by  Quirinius, governor of  Syria, who was also behind a new tax resgistration  which led to an
unsuccessful uprising fomented by Judas the Galilean, the founder of the Jewish revolutionary party of the Zealots.  The extensive powers of Roman governors included the choice and dismissal of Jewish high priests. Unlike during the previous centuries, during the lifetime of Jesus  most of these high priests installed by the Romans remained in office for only a short period, with the exception of Annas (AD 6-15) and Caiaphas (AD 18-36/37), to both of whom leading parts are assigned in the trial of Jesus. Under Roman surveillance, the Jewish high priest and his senate, the Sanhedrin, which acted as both council and tribunal, continued to play a significant  role in the day-to-day government of Judaea and Jerusalem, whereas Galilee, the country of Jesus, enjoyed near complete independence under Herod Antipas as long as the taxes were duly delivered to Rome.”-p.182, Geza Vermes, “Jesus-Nativity, Passion, Resurrection”.

Further ahead in page 286 of the same book, Geza Vermes throws
more light on Caiaphas, and Caiaphas real concerns highlighted by Vermes are reflected in John 11: 45-48, which gives rise to the saving solution of sacrificing one man for the entire nation of Jews. Quote “ Caiaphas, the high priest, and the chief  priests are the villains of the Passion story. Does this portrait reflect historical reality or is it also the product  of the theological and apologetic  speculation of the evangelists ? Their thorough-going antagonism to Jews seems to suggest that they(Christian evangelists) had given up hope of any further successful mission among the Jews. Also, by the time of the redaction of the Passion narratives-  (Redaction is a form of editing in which multiple source texts are combined (redacted) and altered slightly to make a single document. Often this is a method of collecting a series of writings on a similar theme and creating a definitive and coherent work.) the synagogue and the
Church had already split. Late first-century AD (Gentile) Christians perceived the Jews as THE enemies. The ‘THEY AGAINST US” situation prevailing by then could easily be retrojected to the time of the Passion itself and lead to the de-Judaization of Jesus and his followers. Since Jesus was seen as persecuted by THE JEWS, he ceased to be apprehended as belonging to the Jewish people and was simply turned into a Christian.

To judge his real role in the Passion, Caiaphas’ likely motivation needs to be investigated. It may argued that if he saw, in his capacity of high priest, any potential political danger in Jesus, he would react out of fear of Roman criticism for failing to maintain  order in Jerusalem combined with a sentiment of duty to protect the
Jewish community against forseeable Roman excesses. His ultimate purpose, summed up in the principle that the whole nation is more important than a single individual, was no doubt based on a misjudgement of Jesus, but it  CANNOT be qualified as wholly dishonourable. Arguably he did what  a man in his position had to do, and this could occasionally entail the unpalatable duty of sacrificing  an individual  for the common good.  Besides, the fact that he managed to keep his job for eighteen years when most of his predecessors and successors  were sacked  in their first or second year in office proves that Joseph Caiaphas was a shrewd operator. He was not a satanic figure, however, just an efficient quisling, responsible for handing over Jesus to the Romans in full awareness of the likely outcome.
Neverthless, the ultimate LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY for the crucifixion lies with Pilate and  the Roman empire. In all probability it was a major miscarriage of justice as Jesus does not seem to have been motivated by political ambitions.” (pages 286,286 Geza Vermes)

MAHABHARATA -  Sacrificing one individual for the sake of the nation mentioned in other parts.

In the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata,Chapter 115, (Sambhava Parva) –Continued, Birth of Gandhari’s sons is described.

The news of Duryodhana’s birth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura. On the day when haughty  Duryodhana was born, on that very day was born mighty armed and greatly powerful Bhima. O king, as soon as that son of Dhritharashtra (Duryodhana) was born, he roared  and brayed like an ass. Hearing that sound, the arsons, vultures, jackals and crows spontaneously cried. – Sloka 26, 27, 28

Strong wind began to blow  and fires raged in every direction. Thereupon, the frightened king Dhritharashtra summoning  many
Brahmanas, Bhishma, Vidura, and other friends, relatives and Kurus, said-  Sloka 29,30

“The eldest of the princes, Yudhisthira is the perpetuator of your race. He has acquired the kingdom  by virtue of his birth. We have nothing to say to this” – Sloka  31

“But will my son be able to become king after him ? Tell me what is right  and lawful” – Sloka 32

O descendent  of the Bharatha race, jackals and other carnivorous animals began to howl ominously from all sides. – Sloka 33

O king, seeing these frightful ominous signs, the assembled Brahmans and the high minded Vidura said, “O king, O best of men, when these fearful ominous signs are seen at the birth of your eldest son, it is evident he will be exterminator of your race. The prosperity of the race depends upon his abandonment. There must be great calamity in keeping him. – Slokas 34, 35,36

O king, if you abandon him, there still remain ninety nine sons of yours. O descendant of the Bharata race, if you desire the good of your dynasty, abandon him.- Sloka 37

Do good to the world and to your own race by abandoning him. It is said that an individual should be abandoned for the sake of the family; a family should be abandoned for the sake of a village; a village should be abandoned for the sake of a country and the world should be abandoned for the sake of the soul. Having been thus addressed  by Vidura and the Brahmanas, the king, out of affection (for the son) did not act accordingly.- Slokas 38, 39, 40, MBh, Aadi Parva, Chapter 115, (Sambhava Parva)-Continued, Birth of Gandhari’s sons., Vol 1, page 338, Parimal Publications, 2008)
Here the Sanskrit word used for abandoning is “thye-jeth

KRISHNA DESCRIBES TWO EVENTS WHEN ONE MAN WAS SACRIFICIED FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE.

In the first instance, the wicked and cruel king was killed, and in the second instance the trouble-makers were bound and kept. After explaining these two events, Krishna will ask the Kuru elders to bind , NOT KILL, Duruodhana and three other individuals.

Seeing Duryodhana rise up in that council and go away accompanied by his brothers, Bhishma the son of Shantanu  said – Sloka 29

(Bhishma said, Slokas 30-32 )

He who inclines towards wrath abandoning  virtue  and worldly profit, is soon  rejoiced  over by wicked men in his troubles. –Sloka 30

This wicked prince, the son of Dhritarahtra, who does not know the proper means of suitable ends and is vain of the kingdom, is come under the influence of wrath  and avarice. – Sloka 31

I  think that the time for the end  of all Kshatriyas is come, O Janardana, for all the rulers of the earth along with the ministers have followed him out of folly.”- Sloka 32

That heroic scion of the Dasharha race, with eyes like the petals of the lotus, hearing the words of Bhishma, said to all of them  headed by Bhishma & Drona.- Sloka 33

(Krishna Said)

“This is the great defeat of all the elders among the Kurus that they do not with force obstruct this wicked king in the enjoyment of prosperity – Sloka 34

I therefore  consider  that the time  has come for you to act; O sinless men, listen to that by doing which you will obtain benefit- Sloka 35

What I shall tell you is clearly for your benefit, if in consequence of its being favourable to you it is approved by you, O Bharatas- Sloka 36

(EVENT  No. 1)

During the life time of the old king of Bhoja(Ugrasena), his son (Kansa), of wicked  behavior and a slave to his passions, having usurped the throne of his father subjected himself to death. – Sloka 37

Kansa, the son of Ugrasena, being forsaken by his own friends, was killed by ME in a great battle from a desire to do good to my kinsmen.- Sloka 38

Ugrasena, the son of Ahuka, being duly honoured by ourselves with our kinsmen, was anointed king and he extended the territories of the kingdom of Bhoja. – Sloka 39

Abandoning the one, namely  Kansa, for the sake of the whole race, did all the Yadavas, Andhakas and Vrishnis attain to happiness, O Bharatha. – Sloka 40

(EVENT No.2)

Parameshti, the lord of all creatures said, O king, when the gods  and the Asuras were prepared for battle and were under arms – Sloka 41

When the world was divided into two parties and was about to be ruined, O Bharata- that god endued with divine prosperity, the creator and protector of the world said-Sloka 42

In a fight with the Daityas, the Danavas, and the Asuras will be defeated, and the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras and the denizens of heaven will be victorious. – Sloka 43

The gods, the Asuras, the human beings, the Gandharvas and the Rakshasas will, in this battle (in their race), kill one another. – Sloka 44

Thus thinking  Parameshti, the lord of all creatures said to Dharma –“Binding these Daityas and Danavas make them over to Varuna” –Sloka 45

Dharma being thus spoken to, by the command of Prameshti binding the Daityas and the Danavas, made them all over to Varuna – Sloka 46

Having bound them with the aids of Dharma as also by his own power, the lord of waters, Varuna keeps the Danavas ever in sea – Sloka 47

(Citing the above two incidents, Krishna asks the Kuru elders to base their actions in the case  of Duryodhana.)

In the same way, binding  Duryodhana, Karna and Shakuni as also Dushasana make them over to the Pandavas – Sloka 48

(Here four people have to be bounded/put away  for the sake of the whole race)

One man should be sacrificed for the benefit of a race; a race should be sacrificed for the good of a town; a town should be sacrificed for the good of the community; and for the sake of the soul should even the earth be sacrificed – Sloka 49

(here sacrificing does not imply killing, but only binding/putting in jail/taking away the powers etc, The Sanskrit word used here by Krishna is “thyajeth”.(in english the meaning is give-up) )

O king, having bound Duryodhana make peace with the sons of Pandu. By so doing will the Kshatriyas not exterminated, O foremost among Kshatriyas – Sloka 50
(the Sanskrit word used  for bound is “bada-dhva”)
(From  Udyog Parva, Chapter 128, (Bhagavat-Yana Parva) Continued, Speech of Sri-Krishna, Pages 340, 341 & 342, MBh, Vol3, Parimal Pub, 2008)

CONCLUSION : KRISHNA is a Yogi, whose senses are under his control, who has no selfish motives, or any kind of personal requirements, and is equipoised and equanimous. Therefore his final decision with respect to the wicked Duryodhana is untainted and without error. (Who and what kind of person takes such sensitive decisions matters !!!)  There is no comparison between Duryodhana
and Jesus. At the most  historical Jesus was a rabble rouser, engendering sectarian animosity. This was not any grave crime (even at that period in the Roman empire), unlike Duryodhana’s track record. Therefore the capital punishment desired by Caiphas for Jesus is unwarranted. This is a one-sided story, and as portrayed by the Evangelists. We will never know what Caiaphas really told on that day. !!!

 Caiaphas was mainly motivated to be in the good books of the Romans. Or was it  that Caiaphas had been deliberately and wrongly indicted by the Evangelists, since the ultimate authority for trying a trouble-maker in a court of law and awarding capital punishment rested with the Roman authorities, and it was they who crucified Christ to death !!??  It is also to be doubted that the Evangelists wished to confound our feelings towards the Jews and Romans. The Evangelists could not make much headway in getting new converts among the Jews, and thus Jews became the ‘other’, the enemy for them. Similar incidents happened in India almost 1800 years later. Here Missionaries found it impossible to get new converts, because of the caste system. They wrongly understood that Brahmins were the brain behind the caste system and also responsible for its maintenance. Therefore Missionaries unleashed a propaganda against the Brahmins, vilifying them.

Krishna’s role was limited to  advising  the Kuru elders as to  what has to be done to Duryodhana, to avert extermination of the Kshatriyas . Similarly Vidura also advises Dhritarashtra , Duryodhana’s father. The individuals who were supposed to take action, based on this sound and reliable advice failed to act. Thus it lead to annihilation of the Kshatriyas, ie total calamity and Duryodhana along with others were killed in battle. In contrast the Romans acted as per the law/ancient custom alluded to by Caiaphas, and thus Jesus was put to death.

Mahabharata shows human beings failing to act on sound advice which would have prevented utter disaster, whereas Bible illustrates wrong application of ancient laws resulting in disproportionate punishment and suffering of a individual. This event in the Bible was the seed of  anti-Semitism, resulting in the death of millions of Jews in the 20 th century.  The human beings as a collective whole thus charts their destiny, adhering to the Supreme law.





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