CONCEPT OF KARMA IN THE SONGS OF BHUPEN HAZARIKA : A PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY

Mr. Hemanta Kumar Roy

Introduction :

Human life and philosophy are inseparably related. We cannot separate philosophy from human life. Philosophy also cannot be found without life. From the ancient time, philosophical ideas has been emerging from the works and views of different thinkers, artist, novelists, social and religious reformers. Their views and works, on the one hand, play an important role to uphold social harmony and make their own community and country glorious on the other. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika is one of the persons who may be rightly termed as ‘philosopher’. Although he was not an academic philosopher, we may easily find out some philosophical ideas from his works and views which were expressed through his songs. In fact, he is regarded as one of the modern humanistic philosophers who sacrificed his complete life to mankind. Dr. Hazarika wanted to establish such a society where man’s value is more than that of gold. So he wanted to enrich our society, not only by eradicating casteism, but also setting a social norm where each and every persons involve themselves in the works instead of sitting idle. Therefore, Dr. Hazarika, like all other contemporary Indian philosophers gave emphasis on Karma or works for individual and social development. Before going to discuss his concept of karma it is customary to introduce what we mean by the karma in moral philosophy for better understanding of the subject.

Meaning of Karma :

The concept of karma is one of the popular concepts of Indian ethics. It is an eternal moral order. All the Indian philosophers, except Carvaka, believe in the theory of Karma. The term ‘Karma’ comes from Sanskrit ‘Kri’ which means action, work or deed. Thus karma refers to all types of work, physical and mental. The main concept of this theory is ‘as you sow, so you reap’. Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering. Good deeds or works result good consequences and bad deeds or works result bad consequences. The Indian philosophers accepted that the law of karma as the law of the conservation of moral values from which all the merits and demerits of the individual are resulted. In other words, it is a moral which guarantees reward in the form of virtue for good deeds and punishment in the form of vice for the bad deeds. Karma is also closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Asian religions. The concept of karma is regarded as a key concept of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The Karma also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where the intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect). In other words, there is a causal relation between cause or karma and its effects or fruits.

Karma is also known differently in the different schools of Indian philosophy. It is the moral and cosmic order which is typically termed as ‘Rta’ in the Rg Vada. It is believed that Rta maintains social and moral order of human life and it also controls the law of the nature. ‘It is the law which pervades the whole world, which all gods and men must obey’.¹ This Vedic term is also known as ‘the Law of Karma’ in Indian philosophy. It is called ‘apurva’ by the Mimansaka, and ‘adrsta’ by the Nayayikas. But whatever it means, the main significance of this concept is that man himself is responsible for all his success and failure in his life. Man’s whole life is guided by his own works.

           

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s Concept of Karma :

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was a real humanitarian. The ideal of humanism is selfless love towards man. In the humanistic philosophy, all men are treated equally irrespective of caste, creed, religion, colour and national boundary. Dr. Hazarika through his songs (though not in all) clearly urged us to love man, to help the helpless. His main aim was not to become popular, but to reform the society and to establish the essence of humanity and social integrity. In order to reform the society he felt that it is possible only through the karma. Karma has a great power which can develop man’s individuality and it also helps man to attain his destiny. Keeping this point in his mind, Dr. Hazarika composed and sung some songs, mainly in Assamese language, with a view to create a social norms so that each and every person engage himself in work without feeling any hesitation. Accordingly, Dr. Hazarika, in his humanistic philosophy, put emphasis on daily work. He believed in the ‘dignity of labour.’² He said that work is the life, a man can attain his destiny by virtue of hard labour. So, he is a lover of working people of the world. A man should indulge in the work to make his life grateful. Karma itself has a great value. No work is inferior to him. Karma or work does not make a man inferior to another, rather it makes a man great. According to him, a man should perform is duty or work without ahankara or ego. Despite having a B. A. or M. A. degrees, there is no wrong if a man drives an autorickshaw. That is why Dr. Hazrika inspired the Assamese people by singing the following song,

                                    Autorikshaw chalao

Ami duo bhai

Guwahati kari guljar

B.A. fail moi

Xaru bhai M.A. pass

Bankato bahu dhar.

………………….

Shiksita bekarar

Moi-xaru-bhab

Complex nai amar.³ 

According to Bhupen Hazarika, karma (or work) is our dharma (or duty). A man can make his struggling life successful through the karma alone. The concept of Karma-dharma was also emphasized by Lord Sri Krishna in Srimadbhagvadgita. Besides, it was widely accepted by the different schools of Vaidika and Avaidika systems of Indian philosophy. In Gita, it is said that no man can stay without work even a single moment.⁴ Man’s duty is to work according to his own ability. This point was accepted by Bhupen Hazarika in his daily life and composed a famous song for man so that all men can put his mind into work. He said,  
                        Karmai amar dharma, 
                        karmai amar dharma

                                   Ami jiban jujat jikiba lagiba

                                  Pindhi sahaxor barma.⁵

            It means, man’s dharma or duty is to work. Our struggling life should be made successful with wearing armour of courage. Gita believes in the Niskama karma. Dr. Hazarika was not against Niskama Karma, of course he did not say it clearly. In fact, he was a man who is in favour of disinterested action. In his songs we find that he supported this type work which is performed without self interest. For him, a man should work without any greed. Thus he sung,   

                          Svarthar lolup Asha

                          Karim ami kharba⁶

Bhupen Hazarika’s Karma-theory was also widely influenced by the theory of karma of Mahatma Gandhi.⁷ The concept of ‘dignity of labour’ was introduced by Gandhi before Hazarika. Gandhi in his theory of ‘Bread Labour’ said that every man should work for his mental and physical fitness. A man who does not work eats stolen bread.⁸ Gandhi gave references to this point from the two sacred books of the Bhagavadgita and Bible. The Bible says, “Earn thy bread by the sweat of thy brow.”⁹ It means that a man should earn his own food by hard labour itself. We find further confirmation in the teaching of the Gita that he who eats without laboring for his food ‘eats stolen food.’¹⁰ Dr. Hazarika was aware of these ethical teachings of the Gita and Bible and suggested to all the unemployed youth of Assam to follow it so that they can indulge themselves in work irrespective of their academic degrees. If all the persons indulge in work irrespective of their degrees, the caste system of our society will automatically disappear. Like Gandhi, Dr. Hazarika also said that if everyone lends a hand to such work he will keep himself fit, appreciate and promote the dignity of labour and the equality of man. Thus by ‘dignity of labour’ Hazarika means that in order to live in the society and earn his livelihood, a man must work. It is essential for every man to realize the dignity of labour and to think that at least for earning his bread one must do some works. It is not necessary that every individual should do that kind of works which is imposed on him in the name of varnas. If every individual is required to do every kind of work, then the doctrine of varnas would fall down. Any man can choose for himself that work that he can do, he can spin, or weave or do carpentry or drive autorickshaw or any other things. Thus, by the concept of karma Dr. Hazarika, on the one hand, inspired man to work instead of sitting idle and wanted to eradicate social inequalities on the other.

Dr. Hazarika, supporting existentialist philosophy, believed that human life is full of miseries; all men are in despair, they feel isolated, solitary and so on. But he also believed that a man can fulfill his needs and become happy by karma alone. All the problems of man may be solved by the work itself. So, he composed another song in this regard,

                        Jivan xindhu bahu bindure hoy

Jadi karmere hay bindu purna

Alas chinta agabhir achaniye

Jayar baxana kare churna.¹¹

            It means that human life is like a sea, which needs can be fulfilled by good deeds. Idly thinking and unplanned project destroy the possibility of all success. Here, he sounded like Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre in his existential philosophy always said that man can change his fate by the work alone provided his choices and decisions are appropriate. Man himself is responsible for his success and all kinds of failure. Man is indeed a project. Men are thrown into the world. A hero makes himself hero and coward makes himself a coward through the work itself. There is also a possibility that the hero will give up his heroism and the coward his cowardice.¹² Bhupen Hazarika like Sartre believed that man’s fate completely depends upon his own work. But unlike Sartre, he never thought that men are thrown into the world.  

There is an another implication of Bhupen Hazarika’s concept of karma. There are also some similarities between the Lokasamgraham of Bhagavatgita and the concept ‘dignity of labour’ of Hazarika. Lokasamgraham means maintenance of the social order or of the scheme of the world.¹³ According to the concept of lokasamgraham, one should perform his work with an eye to maintaining the social order. This point is accepted by Bhupen Hazarika in his doctrine of Karma. For him, in order to uplift our society each and every man should work despite being a higher degree holder. If an M.A. and a B. A. passed youth drive the autorickshaw without any hesitation, then it sets an example to other unemployed of our society who possesses minimum degrees. Keeping this point in his mind Dr. Hazarika composed different kinds of song which inspire man into any kind of work. Thus, when he sang that ‘Karbi mane karmai dharma,’¹⁴ we find such an intention behind it. This is the common sense implication of Hazarika’s concept of dignity of labour.   

Conclusion :

In conclusion, it may be said that Dr. Hazarika was a social reformer who wanted to reform our society through work-culture. So, he supported karma-dharma like all the contemporary Indian philosophers. He had a strong belief in Assamese or Indian religious culture. For this reason, he shared his views with reference to the works and views of great men or sacred books of different religion so that the various communities of the society can make their life glorious. Thus, it is better to conclude that Bhupen Hazarika was a true humanist who sacrificed his life for the betterment of mankind. In his songs we may find all type elements for which he is regarded as a philosopher. His humanistic philosophy is mixed up with ethical teaching, social and political thinking and also with some cultural approach.

References :

1. Radhakrishnan, S : Indian Philosophy (Vol. 1), Second Edition, 2008, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, p. 80

2. Song : Autoriksha.

3. Ibid.

4. Srimadbhagavadgita, Ch. 3, Verse. 5

5. Song : Karmai amar dharma, Composed in the film Parghat (1949)

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Dutta, D. M.: The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Edition, September, 1968, Calcutta University Press, Kolkata, p. 118

9. Quoted from Lal, B. K. : Contemporary Indian Philosophy, Second Revised Edition, 1978, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Delhi, p. 142.

10. Dutta, D. M.: The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Edition, September, 1968, Calcutta University Press, Kolkata, p. 118

11. Song : Jivan garote

12. Quoted from Roy, H. K. : Samakalin Paschatya Darshan-2, First Edition, August, 2014, Union Book Publisher, Ganeshguri, Guwahati, p. 118.

13. Ghosh, Jagadish Chandra : Srimadbhagavadgita, 3^rd Edition, July, 2010,  Presidency Library, 15, Bankim Chatterjee Street, Kolkata-73, p. 69.

14. Song : Difu tomare nam.


N.B. This Article pubblished in 'MANAVAYATAN' Vol-VI, 2017. Guwahati, Assam.