Guruji, what is the difference between Krishna asking Arjuna to fight for dharma and Osama asking jihadists to fight for dharma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A terrorist is a coward. He doesn't come in the front and fight. A coward hides and destroys.
No, Bhagwad Gita never talks about terrorism. It says, 'Do your duty.' If there is a policeman, he has to do his duty. If he says, 'I don't want to do policing. I will sell bananas or I will sell vegetables. I will not hold a gun or a cane', then what will any intelligent person say?
'Do your work. If you are a policeman, do the work of a policeman.'
This is what Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, 'Perform your duty. Protect your subjects.'
He did not say, 'Go and kill unarmed people.' Never! This is wrong, and even thinking this way is wrong! That is the reason we call terrorism cowardice. There is no courage in this act. But, to fight in a war is bravery.
You can't say, 'All the soldiers in the world are terrorists.' Army personnel and police are not terrorists. They maintain law and order. They need to do this, and Lord Krishna only says, 'You have to keep your dharma.'
Osama Bin Laden didn't say that. He said, 'Those who do not belong to my religion, kill them.' And how? - By hiding. He never came forward to fight. He stayed in hiding in Pakistan.
Cowards cannot be seen as brave soldiers. In fact, they are just the opposite.
So, Gita teaches you bravery, not cowardice.
No, Bhagwad Gita never talks about terrorism. It says, 'Do your duty.' If there is a policeman, he has to do his duty. If he says, 'I don't want to do policing. I will sell bananas or I will sell vegetables. I will not hold a gun or a cane', then what will any intelligent person say?
'Do your work. If you are a policeman, do the work of a policeman.'
This is what Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, 'Perform your duty. Protect your subjects.'
He did not say, 'Go and kill unarmed people.' Never! This is wrong, and even thinking this way is wrong! That is the reason we call terrorism cowardice. There is no courage in this act. But, to fight in a war is bravery.
You can't say, 'All the soldiers in the world are terrorists.' Army personnel and police are not terrorists. They maintain law and order. They need to do this, and Lord Krishna only says, 'You have to keep your dharma.'
Osama Bin Laden didn't say that. He said, 'Those who do not belong to my religion, kill them.' And how? - By hiding. He never came forward to fight. He stayed in hiding in Pakistan.
Cowards cannot be seen as brave soldiers. In fact, they are just the opposite.
So, Gita teaches you bravery, not cowardice.
