Question

2.  "Patriarchy replaced Matriarchy as Accumulation of Property made  Monogamous Marriage a Social Necessity."- Please clarify.

Response

In  the matriarchal societies mother is considered as the head of the  family. When the society advanced from hunting stage to cattle  rearing and agriculture states the concept of acquisition of property  came into being. As the males were stronger in physical strength  properties came to be held more by males than females. Moreover on  the demise of a male member proper identification of a father and his  son became necessary for passing on the inheritance to the property.  Hence polyandry (having more than one husband) and matriarchy gave  place to monogamy (one male having one wife) became necessary for  social harmony. This development took centuries to come into a shape.

Question

3.  Rama was an avatar before Krishna which implies that the concept of  monogamy was already in its inception-to-evolved practice, by then.  Now Krishna or the time of Mahabharata was after Rama's period. Why  did polygamy start all over again? And did such practices prevail in  highly knowledgeable times? 

Response

Polygamy did  not start all over again during the time of Krishna. Even in Rama’s  time polygamy existed as Ram himself had three mothers – one real  and two step mothers. Even today polygamy exists indirectly and  illegally although it is legally banned in many countries. The  relationship between a male and a female outside marriage is nothing  but polygamy e.g. Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky for which the  former had to face impeachment proceedings and worldwide indignation.  These practices exist in all times – knowledgeable or primitive,  whether in a so called highly evolved society as of now or in the  cave days. Human nature to eat the forbidden fruit is the same  whether in Ramayana/Mahabharata days or the days of Bill Clinton.

II -  Dharma

Question

4.  Also, Dharma says, that u should fight for injustice. This is  the biggest teaching. Now Bheeshma, Dronacharya, kulguru kept quite  when Draupadi was insulted. So this was the biggest mistake they all  made. Now, when there was a discussion over whether Mahabharat battle  must take place, why did Lord Krishna send petitions of peace to  Hastinapur king Drutarashtra? Wasn't the insult to a woman, one of  the biggest sin? Why to ask for peace?

5.  And why did not Bheeeshma leave adharma clan of Duryodhan? Isn't  Dharma a bigger compensatory practice over a Pratigya?

Response

Venerable  elders like Bheeshma, Drona kept quite when Draupadi was being  disrobed in the assembly. This is one of the extremely debatable  instances in the scriptures (like Sita’s agnipariksha in Ramayana) particularly when Bheeshma could have stopped it.  Instead he was debating what his dharma was and came to the  conclusion that because he was eating the salt of Duryodhana he was  not to antagonize Kauravas however much he loves Pandavas. This is  the beauty of Mahabharata which is a mirror of human frailties and  shows that in life there are no black and white answers to many  questions and that there is always grey area. Shantiparva and  Yakshaprasna in MB are entirely devoted to the question of analyzing  dharma from various angles.

The next  question is that when a woman (Draupadi) was insulted how Krishna  could pursue peace efforts and was it not a wrong step on his part.  The answer is that it was not a wrong step to pursue peace efforts  even when Draupadi was insulted because war brings forth more  calamities to the kingdom as a whole when compared to humiliation to  an individual woman, for after all an individual is nothing before a  nation. That is why saam (talking and  discussion), daan (charity, bribing), dand (use of force) and bhed  (divide and rule) were the four methods  prescribed by Kautilya in his Arthasastra to convert the opponent to  one’s own thinking. Among these use of force comes as the last  resort when everything else fails. So Krishna’s peace efforts as  Pandava’s ambassador to Kauravas were his last minute effort to  avert the Great War.

Question

6.  If it was the dharma of a king to win a kingdom and marry the girl of  that kingdom. Why doesn't every other caste get this right?

Response

This  question relates to the dharma of the four castes of the Hindu  society. Please see the discussion below.

Question

7.  Who and why were these dharmas made so unevenly? And how does someone  decide that, ok, this practice is the correct dharma?

Response

This  question relates to the evolution of the concept of dharma in  Hinduism. Please see the discussion below.

DEFINITION  OF DHARMA

There  is no proper equivalent word in English for the Sanskrit term Dharma. It is very  difficult to define Dharma. Dharma is generally defined as  ‘righteousness’ or ‘duty.’ It is also the principle of unity.

Bhishma  says in his instructions to Yudhishthira that whatever creates  conflict is Adharma, and whatever puts an end to conflict and brings  about unity and harmony is Dharma. Anything that helps to unite all  and develop pure divine love and universal brotherhood is Dharma.  Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony and foments  hatred is Adharma.

The  rules of Dharma have been laid down for regulating the worldly  affairs of men. Dharma brings as its consequence happiness, both in  this world and in the next. Dharma is the means of preserving one’s  self. If you transgress it, it will kill you. If you protect it, it  will protect you.

In  the matter of Dharma, the Vedas are the ultimate authority. Reason  cannot be the authority in the matter of Dharma.

Just  as a doctor prescribes different medicines for different people  according to their constitution and the nature of their disease, so  also Hinduism prescribes different duties for different people. Rules  for women are different from the rules for men. The rules for  different Varnas (castes) and Asramas (stages in life) vary. But,  non-violence, truth, non-stealing, cleanliness and control of the  senses, are the duties common to all.

Dharma  depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and the  community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is  different from that of the tenth century.  What is Dharma in one set  of circumstances becomes Adharma in another set of circumstances.  That is the reason why it is said that the secret of Dharma is  extremely profound and subtle. Lord Krishna says in the Gita: “Let  the scriptures be the authority in determining what ought to be done  and what ought not to be done”. That is the truth of Dharma.