John 8:3- a dramatic scene from the New Testament. The teachers of religious law bring a woman accusing her of adultery. They want to stone her to death. Talking about fairness, there was no concern that the act had required a consenting partner. The Apostle of Peace answered, "Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." As one by one, her shamed accusers left, Christ advised her to go home and leave her life of sin.
It is easy to judge. All of us are the very barometers of what is right and what is not. Any perceived positioning of an individual below our estimate of our own moral values, certainly, is a cause for derision and name-calling. Anything above that, usually, sends us into a frenzy of fact-finding, to explore for possible skeletons in the cupboard of the glorified individual. The success of TMZ, National Enquirer, and the several tabloids that line the aisles of the check out lanes of the grocery stores are proof enough.
There is no doubt that laws are and should be Universal. There cannot be too many interpretations of what is right and what is wrong; even then, we do have exceptions and expediating circumstances.
The ethical line, typically, stands less clearly demarcated, with more scope to interpret. Most professions demand and insist on an ethical standard that is to be maintained higher than the legal line. As a doctor, one cannot have an intimate relationship with a patient; the law of consenting adults do not apply.
The tricky question comes when moral issues are concerned. We have standards: some are derived from parents, some from society, some from books- more often sacred than secular, some from the pulpits and rarely, some from intuition.
Kannadasan has brought this issue of moral questioning into focus in one of his famous songs- இலக்கணம் மாறுதோ, இலக்கியம் ஆனதோ- Has Grammar transformed into literature? from the movie "நிழல் நிஜமாகிறது." - A shadow becomes reality
A simpleton from a village, barely in her late teens, has a dream of becoming a princess; and why not? As a servant maid in a house, she presumes that the handsome, rich owner is the prince of her dreams, and falls for his overtures. About to be burdened with a child, whose father refuses to acknowledge his paternity, this young girl is now the object of scorn in society.
Is she immoral? Is she a gold-digger? Is she a vile temptress? With poverty preventing even a semblance of chance at redemption, here is this young girl, suddenly having to grow up and face the wrath of the self- appointed moral guardians.
தள்ளாடும் பிள்ளை உள்ளமும் வெள்ளை
தாலாட்டு பாட ஆதாரம் இல்லை
தெய்வங்கள் எல்லாம் உனக்காகப் பாடும்
பாடாமல் போனால் எது தெய்வம் ஆகும்
மறுபடி பிறக்கும் உனக்கொறு பாதை
உரைப்பது கீதை
Struggling kid, with a heart so pure
To sing a lullaby, doesn't have a proof
All the Gods shall sing for you
If they don't, what kind of Gods are they?
You will get another chance
Thus avers the Gita
Kannadasan goes to the aid of this girl, whose life has been swept into a vortex by currents that she can hardly fathom, let alone negotiate. He points his verbal arrows directly at the moral cops, who read the scriptures superficially, forgetting that morality devoid of humanity is to be discarded. Kannadasan questions the very validity of these self-appointed moral guardians dare condemn this unfortunate girl.
Good or evil, moral or vulgar, sacred or satanic, selfless or selfish- Oh and one of the best of them all- patriotic or treasonous- all it takes is a quick look or a superficial reading of a situation and we are happy to sit on our own moral thrones and pass judgement. Fortunately, in many civilized countries, we are not the juries and executioners. We are only painfully made aware of the societies that are the exceptions.
It is very tempting to feel secure, ensconsced in our own moral cocoons, and take potshots at the so-called sinners of the world. We do not hesitate to ponder, as exemplified by the holy martyr Bradford. It is said that whenever he saw a man condemned for his sins, John Bradford would exclaim with utmost humility, "There, but for the Grace of God, goes me."- indicating that Bradford himself could have very well ended up as a sinner, if it were not for the Grace of the Almighty
In the final two lines of the quoted verse, Kannadasan assures the young girl of redemption, quoting the Gita. Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. There, perhaps, cannot be a better example for this than Kannadasan himself. He was well known for his debauchery and moral transgressions, which he openly admitted to. His transformation into a philosopher-poet was as dramatic as they come.
अपिचेत सुधुरचारो भजते मां अनन्यभाक्
साधुरेवस मन्तव्यः सम्यग् व्यवसितो हिसः (IX: 30)
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शस्वच्छान्तिम् निगच्छति
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि नमे भक्तः प्रणश्यति (IX: 31)
Lord Krishna assures, "Even if a sinner worships Me with undivided devotion, he would be considered a saint, for he has the proper resolve.
Ere long he becomes righteous and attains peace everlasting. O Arjuna, know it for certain, that my devotee never perishes."
It is easy to judge. All of us are the very barometers of what is right and what is not. Any perceived positioning of an individual below our estimate of our own moral values, certainly, is a cause for derision and name-calling. Anything above that, usually, sends us into a frenzy of fact-finding, to explore for possible skeletons in the cupboard of the glorified individual. The success of TMZ, National Enquirer, and the several tabloids that line the aisles of the check out lanes of the grocery stores are proof enough.
There is no doubt that laws are and should be Universal. There cannot be too many interpretations of what is right and what is wrong; even then, we do have exceptions and expediating circumstances.
The ethical line, typically, stands less clearly demarcated, with more scope to interpret. Most professions demand and insist on an ethical standard that is to be maintained higher than the legal line. As a doctor, one cannot have an intimate relationship with a patient; the law of consenting adults do not apply.
The tricky question comes when moral issues are concerned. We have standards: some are derived from parents, some from society, some from books- more often sacred than secular, some from the pulpits and rarely, some from intuition.
Kannadasan has brought this issue of moral questioning into focus in one of his famous songs- இலக்கணம் மாறுதோ, இலக்கியம் ஆனதோ- Has Grammar transformed into literature? from the movie "நிழல் நிஜமாகிறது." - A shadow becomes reality
Is she immoral? Is she a gold-digger? Is she a vile temptress? With poverty preventing even a semblance of chance at redemption, here is this young girl, suddenly having to grow up and face the wrath of the self- appointed moral guardians.
தள்ளாடும் பிள்ளை உள்ளமும் வெள்ளை
தாலாட்டு பாட ஆதாரம் இல்லை
தெய்வங்கள் எல்லாம் உனக்காகப் பாடும்
பாடாமல் போனால் எது தெய்வம் ஆகும்
மறுபடி பிறக்கும் உனக்கொறு பாதை
உரைப்பது கீதை
Struggling kid, with a heart so pure
To sing a lullaby, doesn't have a proof
All the Gods shall sing for you
If they don't, what kind of Gods are they?
You will get another chance
Thus avers the Gita
Kannadasan goes to the aid of this girl, whose life has been swept into a vortex by currents that she can hardly fathom, let alone negotiate. He points his verbal arrows directly at the moral cops, who read the scriptures superficially, forgetting that morality devoid of humanity is to be discarded. Kannadasan questions the very validity of these self-appointed moral guardians dare condemn this unfortunate girl.
Good or evil, moral or vulgar, sacred or satanic, selfless or selfish- Oh and one of the best of them all- patriotic or treasonous- all it takes is a quick look or a superficial reading of a situation and we are happy to sit on our own moral thrones and pass judgement. Fortunately, in many civilized countries, we are not the juries and executioners. We are only painfully made aware of the societies that are the exceptions.
It is very tempting to feel secure, ensconsced in our own moral cocoons, and take potshots at the so-called sinners of the world. We do not hesitate to ponder, as exemplified by the holy martyr Bradford. It is said that whenever he saw a man condemned for his sins, John Bradford would exclaim with utmost humility, "There, but for the Grace of God, goes me."- indicating that Bradford himself could have very well ended up as a sinner, if it were not for the Grace of the Almighty
In the final two lines of the quoted verse, Kannadasan assures the young girl of redemption, quoting the Gita. Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. There, perhaps, cannot be a better example for this than Kannadasan himself. He was well known for his debauchery and moral transgressions, which he openly admitted to. His transformation into a philosopher-poet was as dramatic as they come.
अपिचेत सुधुरचारो भजते मां अनन्यभाक्
साधुरेवस मन्तव्यः सम्यग् व्यवसितो हिसः (IX: 30)
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शस्वच्छान्तिम् निगच्छति
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि नमे भक्तः प्रणश्यति (IX: 31)
Lord Krishna assures, "Even if a sinner worships Me with undivided devotion, he would be considered a saint, for he has the proper resolve.
Ere long he becomes righteous and attains peace everlasting. O Arjuna, know it for certain, that my devotee never perishes."
No comments:
Post a Comment