Men are puppets in the hands of forces that act from behind in creation. Some of these forces that especially work behind in war situations such as Rudra or certain forms of Kali, once aroused cannot be stopped by human sentiments or pity. One could cite several examples including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Entire Lanka was turned to ashes by Hanuman ji. Were all of them bad people? Merely 18 out of millions survived the Mahabharata. Were all the soldiers bad? During the Bangladesh war the Mother asked the Indian army to continue fighting and take over Pakistan. The mighty Troy was razed to the ground by a group of tribal kings.
Wars are events at a mega scale, like a Tsunami. Many lives are destroyed. Yet for each life that is pounded in the grind mill of Nature, the doors of Destiny open based on the individual’s consciousness. For some, the war helps them take a leap towards the future, for others, it is a school of courage bringing out their noblest part. For the evil-doers as well as those who are indirectly an accomplice either due to weak will or a tacit ideological sanction, death comes as a release. This is the Hindu thought. The Western world with no belief in karma or afterlife, for which the only lamp posts are either a rational humane sentiments or the shadow of Christian piety (shadow because it is only to preach others and never to practice oneself) these deeper aspects of war through which man has evolved paying the price through blood and tears is never understood. Besides the consequences that seem out of proportion sometimes are the result of a prolonged nurturing of hate against a group boomerangs sometimes in an extraordinary way. This is what I see happening to the so-called ‘religion of peace’ the world over. Especially because it indulged in cruelty and violence beyond measure under the garb of brotherhood. It is just a payback time.
Sri Aurobindo writes thus in the Essays on the Gita.
‘ They who have sown the wind, must reap the whirlwind. Nor indeed will his own nature allow him any real abstention, prakṛtis tvāṁ niyokṣyati. This the Teacher tells Arjuna at the close, “That which in thy egoism B.G.18.59 | B.G.18.60 thou thinkest saying, I will not fight, vain is this thy resolve: Nature shall yoke thee to thy work. Bound by thy own action which is born of the law of thy being, what from delusion thou desirest not to do, that thou shalt do even perforce.” Then to give ano ther turn, to use some kind of soul force, spiritual method and power, not physical weapons? But that is only ano ther form of the same action; the destruction will still take place, and the turn given too will be not what the individual ego, but what the World-Spirit wills. Even, the force of destruction may feed on this new power, may get a more formidable impetus and Kali arise filling the world with a more terrible sound of her laughters. No real peace can be till the heart of man deserves peace; the law of Vishnu cannot prevail till the debt to Rudra is paid. To turn aside then and preach to a still unevolved mankind the law of love and oneness? Teachers of the law of love and oneness there must be, for by that way must come the ultimate salvation. But not till the Time-Spirit in man is ready, can the inner and ultimate prevail over the outer and immediate reality. Christ and Buddha have come and gone, but it is Rudra who still holds the world in the hollow of his hand. And meanwhile the fierce forward labour of mankind tormented and oppressed by the Powers that are profiteers of egoistic force and their servants cries for the sword of the Hero of the struggle and the word of its prophet.’
That is how I see this war. It is history repeating itself but with a change of sides.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
