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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 141
प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा धृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च ... (अध्याय ११ - श्लोक २४)
ப்ரவ்யதிதாந்தராத்மா த்ருதிம் ந விந்தாமி ஶமம் ச ... (அத்யாயம் 11 - ஶ்லோகம் 24)
Pravyathitaantaraatmaa Dhrutim Na Vindaami Shamam Cha ... (Chapter 11 - Shlokam 24)Meaning : My inner mind which is already filled with fear , does not attain peace or courage ..
Here Arjuna is speaking a revealing truth .. We don't fear a sight or a sound or any such experience because it is fearsome ... We fear because our inner mind is afraid .. because we are what we call in English chicken hearted .. We get frightened even if the sight or sound is not real and is only an illusion ..
Frightening aspect in the scene or sound or any such experience is not universal .. If it were so , it should frighten everyone .. But , that is not the experience .. Not every one is frightened .. Some laugh at it .. Some enjoy it .. The frightening level is not the same for even those who get frightened .. The effect on anyone is subjective .. It depends more on the status of mind , nature and beliefs of the subject .. This is what Arjuna says .. I am afraid because of weakness of my own inner mind ..
A question arises here .. Is it proper to use fear in moulding minds ? What is the role of fear in grooming children or in controlling the society ?? The Gita says in her sixteenth chapter that Fear (Hree) to committ a wrong is a Divine Virtue .. Yet , fear has a limit .. It gets dried up and becomes ineffective beyond that .. Mere fear can not prevent wrong acts .. Printing a picture of skull and a warning note on cigarette packs will not stop smoking .. Adding a sub-title that "drinking is injurious to health" during a wine-shop scene in a movie , will not discourage drinking .. Fear has to be accompanied by reasoning and strict and definite punishments for wrongs ..
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