What Is Morality?

Dear All,

Even the most degraded person is careful that at least externally he acts in a "moral" way. The most vicious criminal who is full of anger against humanity, when amongst people will act very morally, i.e. he will externally suppress his lust, greed, anger, inclination to hurt others and so on. Moreover, you would have noticed that even a great liar feels offended when someone calls him a liar. The point I want to make is that morality is still considered even today in the dark age of Kali a good quality to exhibit. Meat eaters boldly accept that they eat meat, drinkers boldly admit that they drink, and even lustful people boldly declare that womanizing is a stylish thing to do! But, a liar will never say (at least as of today) that he is a liar! Afterall, people's opinion of his morality is at stake. He is indulging in all other sinful activities, but thats alrigtht as far as he is still considered moral by social standards!

In short, morality is close to people's hearts.

But, what is morality?

According to dictionary.com:

- conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct.
- The quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct.
- concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct.

If one really studies these definitions, they are quite vague. They dont really define morality because they do not define what is "right" and what is "wrong". Unless there is a common definition of right and wrong, where is the question of the definition of morality?

Something vague like "being good and doing good" does not constitute a definition. What is good for me might not be good for someone else and what is bad for me might not be bad for someone else. Infact, my right could be wrong for others and vice versa! So, how can everyone be moral in such a setting? Eating meat is immoral and wrong for some and not wrong for others. Illicit sex (sex before marriage) is immoral for some but nothing to worry about for some (especially westerners). So then who is moral and who is not moral? If I change my country from India to USA, does my illicit sex stop being immoral? Does morality depend on national boundaries?

It is impossible to be moral unless one first defines morality precisely and everyone agrees to that definition. Therefore, I challenge the great and pompous exponents of morality to kindly define morality such that everyone agrees to that definition.

According the the ancient flawless Vedic wisdom, morality (as everything else) must always be considered in relation to God. The codes of right and wrong are given by God. Whatever pleases God is moral and whatever doesnt please Him is immoral. Who can deny this definition. It is simple and it is just perfect! There is no confusion. God instructs us that "to serve Him is the highest morality". To please Him is the highest morality. The highest morality is not to please other imperfect living entities (whose definition of good is self-centered), but to please the Supreme Living Being whose definition of good is all encompassing. If He is pleased, so are everybody else. That is God!

With this background, I would like to come to another important point. With this definition of morality in mind, we can clearly see that God Himself is outside the codes of morality. Why? Because He does not have to please anyone else but Himself. That is God. The Supreme Enjoyer and the Supremely Independent. However, He is so merciful that anyone who just starts serving Him with love and devotion at once comes under the shelter of the Infallible Supreme Personality Of Godhead! What better "good" can there be than coming under the protection and loving care of the Supreme Protector? And then, what else can be a higher morality than serving and pleasing the Supreme Good?

Once seen in this light, the extraordinary activities of God can be appreciated even more! However, if one tries to fit God inside our vague definitions of morality, we will never understand God and His inconceivable and extraordinary activities. God is outside the system of laws created by insignificant human beings like us. In fact, as I have already said, the goal of all laws must be to please Him, and not to consider Him subordinate to the laws. Unless one comes to this basic understanding and stops judging God by ones tiny intelligence, one will continue questioning the extra-ordinary activities of God and thus commit offenses at His lotus feet.

Therefore, I implore everyone to please consider the extraordinary position of God and stop judging His activities according to ones limited intelligence. Instead, lets approach a bonafide Spiritual Master and render loving service to him. Ask questions to him submissively and gradually the splendour of God will be revealed to us. We will start appreciating how much God loves us all. And then we will start understanding that God does some activities just for the pleasure and protection of His devotees no matter what mundane moralists think of these activities. But we must never even dream of imitiating those extraordinary activities because we are not supremely independent, but He is!

Thanking You,
Abhijit.