This statement is attributed to the Greek philosopher Socrates, while he was on trial. His adversaries had accused him of corrupting the youth with his philosophy. At the end of his trial as described in The Apology, Socrates refuses to give up his philosophizing, as it is only through this that he can do his duty to God and pursue goodness. Only through philosophy can he properly come to know himself, and it is here that he makes his famous assertion that “the unexamined life is not worth living.”
How does a student of the Bhagavad-gita go about examining his or her life ? To begin with, Sri Krishna explains to the warrior Arjuna the difference between the body and the soul. Krishna tells Arjuna that he may be a mighty warrior, being able to use a variety of weapons, but none of these weapons can even touch the spirit soul, what to speak of harming or destroying it. Further, Krishna informs Arjuna about the longevity of the soul. He says that Arjuna and the all the kings assembled on that ancient battlefield and Sri Krishna Himself had already lived in the past, are presently living, and will continue to live in the future. So, in the inevitable discharge of his duty as a soldier, he should not choose to leave the battlefield; he should stand and fight. But mind you, this was not a call for senseless violence; it was more like a surgical operation where only the toxic tumor was to be removed from the “social body.”
Socrates’ claim that the unexamined life is not worth living makes a satisfying climax for the deeply principled arguments that he presents on behalf of the philosophical life. The claim is that only in striving to come to know ourselves and to understand ourselves do our lives have any meaning or value. Again, goodness is associated with wisdom, making the life of the philosopher—the lover of wisdom—the most desirable life of all. If we refuse to question ourselves and the world, we will act without reason, unable to distinguish between good actions and bad actions. Without philosophy, Socrates might argue, humans are no better off than animals. This is something with which a student of Vedic wisdom can completely agree. Sri Krishna asserts in the Bhagavad-gita that He descends for the benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the knowledge given in the Vedic literatures, which offer a program for good living and gradual elevation to the platform of sattva-guna, the mode of goodness. Once one is situated in sattva-guna, one’s knowledge expands. On the platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is an impetus to enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is neither knowledge nor enjoyment but simply animalistic living.
Vedic wisdom is intended to elevate one from the mode of ignorance to the mode of goodness. When one is situated in the mode of goodness, he is able to understand knowledge of the self, or transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge cannot be appreciated by any ordinary person; therefore, a disciplic succession is required. This knowledge is expounded either by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or by His bona fide devotee.
When Socrates was condemned to death, he argued with his captors that first of all they have to catch him, and this puzzled them because they thought they have him firmly in their grip. Of course, what Socrates really meant was that his “body” was captured, not “him.” This in Vedic language means to understand that one is not matter but spirit soul (aham brahmasmi: “I am by nature Brahman”).
Still, this is not sufficient for understanding the self and his activities. One must be situated in the activities of Brahman. Knowledge of those activities is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Such transcendental knowledge can be appreciated in human society but not in animal society.
Human beings are meant to lead a regulated life. By nature, there is regulation in animal life also, but that is not like the regulative life described in the scriptures or by the Vedic authorities. Only when one’s life is regulated according to the Vedas can one understand transcendental knowledge.
Socrates had to sacrifice his life in order to defend his philosophical views. But you and me have to simply read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is to examine our life and become successful, in the desired estimation of Socrates.
—Syamananda Dasa