Where there is dharma,there victory is…please explain?
Question by: Umesh Gaud, Dy. Executive Engineer (C),Gandhinagar, Gujarat
In fact, this phrase is found in the Mahabharata at various places with a little variance. But, in all of them they mean the same — “victory is where dharma is”.
In fact, this phrase is found in the Mahabharata at various places with a little variance. But, in all of them they mean the same — “victory is where dharma is”.
It comes up as a principle formula from Sanjay right when the Bhagwad Gita is about to begin in the Bheeshma Parva. Interestingly, this is what he concludes at the end of the Gita in different words.
To my mind, it is the seed idea of the Bhagwad Gita. In Bheesham Parva, Sanjay says:
यत्र धर्मो द्युति: कान्तिर्यत्र ह्री: श्रीस्तथा मति: ।
यतो धर्मस्तत: कृष्णो यत: कृष्णस्ततो जय:।।
It means where there is the right idea, its brilliant expression and moon-like nourishing radiance all around, there alone exist power, welfare and intelligence. Where there is this expression of the three, there Krishna is and where Krishna is, there victory is. What does it really mean? It means Krishna represents the three principles--the right idea, its brilliant expression and its moon-like radiance. And where these three are, Krishna is and where Krishna is, success is. Everybody claims that Krishna is with them. But, test them by these three standards -- if they are there, then Krishna is and if not, then no way. Now people argue God is in all then why this conditioning? Right, but are you in God? How much are you in God? Can you leave everything for Him--not just for sayings' sake, ACTUALLY! Be honest and you will find where you stand in God.
Now, the question arises —- what is the right idea? It is anything that is natural to you and doesn’t violate the basic accepted code of conduct. That means any moral idea is the right idea—like, respect elders, love all animals, God is in all, God is all powerful, God punishes the wrong and saves the right…etc. The safest way is to pick any idea that appeals to you the most about God and you will eventually evolve with the idea. Sanjay has given the basic scale to choose the idea—it should be brilliant, it should nourish you and others too, it should express itself as power.
Sanjay says in the last shloka of the Gita,
यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्ण: यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर:।
तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम।।
This also means the same, but includes Arjuna too in his conclusion. "Where Krishna and Arjuna are, there prosperity, victory and solid principles manifest. The additional point here is the manifestation of these properties or effects can only be possible when there is somebody as perceptively dear to Krishna as Arjuna is. You keep on saying you are going exactly by the book but still there is no victory. You are wrong. You are yet evolving into Arjuna. Once it is done, the manifestation will be there automatically. That is what Sanjay means here.-- VS