Essence of Hinduism - M Hariharan

Duty and Sacrifice

The idea of sacrifice referred to above is a very ancient ideal and does not date from the Bhagavad-Gita, another Inter work, as it is commonly believed. In the Vedas—the Rig and the Yajur—even the work of creation of this great universe is stated to have been a sacrifice on the part of God. Brahman or God sacrificed one-fourth of His body for the creation of this universe—the world, Sun, Moon, stars, minerals, plants, creatures and human beings. All these inorganic things and organic beings are parts of God’s body. He "killed himself", as it were, to one-fourth extent, which is sufficient for the creation, the remaining three-fourths being intact. Thus, Brahman in Hinduism is believed to have sacrificed Himself for creating this universe and for the lives of millions of living beings. Of course, this Yajna or sacrifice is only allegoric. It is manasika or imaginary as Sayana, the commentator, frequently says. The Mantra or hymn which deals with this subject is called the Purusha Sukta, and is chanted daily in millions of homes especially by the Brahmins all over India as the twilight prayers (Sandya Vandana).

At a later period, the Upanishad, Isa, in its first verse, taught in a paradoxical way that one should ever work and enjoy the world but, at the same time, renounce or sacrifice it (the word "renounce" meaning the fruit of the work), and live a hundred years. `Do your duty’, other Upanishads equally emphasize this doctrine. Then it so happened that people in those days paid little attention to it. So, Krishna restored and further emphasized this famous doctrine of Nishkama Karma by his teachings in the Bhagavad Gita more than 3,000 years ago. This doctrine, interpreted, means that a man, by merely doing his worldly duties honestly and efficiently, and taking the barest minimum profit from the work in the interest of Lokasangraha or welfare of the world, will attain Heaven, and that such a purely secular work is another form of religious worship of God. This is a very modern, socialistic revolutionary and practical doctrine which no other religion including Buddhism teaches.

© "Hinduism and its Rationalism" published by Mangalam, 307, Lloyds Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014. Reprinted with permission.

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