GITA 2.36

GITA 2.36

With the blessings of the Lord of Srirangam, we are now at the Tirumaligai (house) of Sri Annan Swamy. Sri Annan Swamy is the Eighth generation descendant of Sri Mudaliyandan (nephew of Sri Ramanuja). He is also known as Sri Varada Narayana Guru. He was one of the famous Ashtagaja Sishyas (Eight great disciples) of Sri Manavala Mamunigal. We are worshiping the present descendant of this great Acharya. 

This house is situated at the junction of East Uttira street and South Uttira street in Srirangam, very near the house of his Acharya Sri Manavala Mamunigal. He is called Annan or elder brother. To whom he was the elder brother? The Lord Himself recognised this Acharya as Elder brother or Annan, in Tamil. He was born in 1389 and lived for 59 years. But in this short span of life, he had achieved a lot. 

Mudaliyandan is considered as the incarnation of Lord Sri Rama. Sri Ramanuja is incarnation of Sri Lakshmana. Sri Mudaliyandan was nephew of Sri Ramanuja and was revered as Sri Ramnuja's Paduka (sandals) and Tridanda (the bonded three sticks of any Sri Vaishnava Sanyasin). He looked after the administration of Sri Ramanuja's mutt. In this family Sri Varada Narayana Guru was the Eighth descendant. Even now the members of this family receive special honours in the temple. Sri Annan Swamy became a disciple of Sri Manavala Mamunigal. He would never miss any procession of the Lord. It appears when someone asked him as to what he would do if he had to miss a procession, he replied that he would lose his eyes! To test his determination, once a procession was arranged early morning at 5 AM. Sri Annan Swamy was not informed. But those persons could not open the sannidhi doors! At that time Sri Annan Swamy's brother Sri Appan Swamy,went to his brother and requested him to join for the procession. Sri Annan Swamy replied that he would start after finishing his morning routines. Thereafter both of them reached the sannidhi. Till then people were struggling to open the doors and after the brothers reached, the doors could be opened! At that time the Lord through one of the Archakas said "Our Annan has come and We can start now". Thereafter he was known as Sri Annan Swamy and his house as Sri Annan Swamy Tirumaligai. 

From here we will see the sloka 31 of Chapter 2 of Gita. We should remember that every sloka in the Gita is well connected with these historical places we are visiting. In this  sloka 31, Sri Krishna would advise Arjuna to perform his Kshatriya duty without fail. Till sloka 30, Arjuna was told not to misplace sympathy at the wrong place. Body is perishable and atman is eternal. In the  Four slokas starting from sloka 31, Arjuna is told that fighting for his people was Kshatriya duty. A confused Arjuna is asked to participate in the battle. 

sva-dharmam api caveksya 
na vikampitum arhasi 
dharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo 'nyat 

ksatriyasya na vidyate

Considering your specific duty as a ksatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.

For a Kshatriya, fighting was the only way to reach Moksham. Even if seen from his Kshatriya heritage, Arjuna was not qualified to abandon fighting. A Kshatriya's duty was to fight for righteousness. A Kshatriya does not have any other alternative to reach Moksham. If a Kshatriya desires Moksham, then fighting in a battle was the only way. By this it  may appear that Gita was essentially a doctrine encouraging fighting. We might also think that Sri Krishna should have advocated peace and saved killing of so many people. So how Gita, a document encouraging fighting, be considered sacred? Sri Krishna answers this doubt in this sloka. Anyone desiring liberation from this samsaram or worldly life, should seek a direction. This will depend upon each individual separately. If penance was the only way to attain Moksham, how many could try that? We can't abandon our family responsibilities and go to forest for penance. In fact nowhere it is mentioned that penance was the only way for Moksham. Every individual has more than one way for Moksham. To reach any place we may have many ways; but we choose what is appropriate to us. 

For Arjuna, being a Kshatriya, fighting in a battle was one prescribed way. Here, we may have doubt as to how battle, where so many are killed, could be a way for Moksham. Sri Krishna advises Arjuna to follow one's own dharma or duty. If Sri Krishna were to advise someone else, a non-kshatriya, perhaps he would not have recommended fighting. 

One more doubt also might come up. Battle means people are hurt. How can this lead to Moksham? After all non-violence is preached in all religious scripts. Violence is not merely killing. If suffering is violence, then every mother suffers while delivering baby. Is it violence? A surgeon cuts bodies to rectify defects. Is that violence? Sri Ramanuja defines violence as that causing pain and suffering in the long run. That is why Sri Krishna tells that fighting a battle as per dharma, is not violence. Those who die in this battle also would reach heaven. Fighting for righteousness and fighting righteously, would pave way for Moksham. 

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