What Can We Do 

By Chaitanya Carana Dasa 

The recent shooting of innocent tourists in Kashmir is a heartbreaking reminder of the relentless brutality some individuals are capable of. But beyond the shock and sorrow lies a question that refuses to go away: How long will we tolerate such acts without a strong and lasting response? 

Too often, such targeted acts of violence are contextualized, softened, or dismissed. The global narrative bends over backwards to avoid identifying patterns, ideologies, or even communities from which such actions emerge. What we need is not communalization of the issue, but moral clarity—something that the Bhagavad-Gita offers in abundance. 

The Joy of Destruction: A Mindset the Gita Warns About

In its 16th chapter, the Gita offers a sobering profile of the demoniac mentality. This is not mere rhetorical labeling. It describes individuals who don’t just do terrible things—they take pride in them. They consider acts of cruelty signs of cleverness. Such individuals are not guided by conscience, nor are they reachable through negotiation. 

Even Krishna, the epitome of diplomacy, fails to make peace with Duryodhana in the Mahabharata. But His failure was instructive. It revealed the futility of reasoning with the unreasonable, and the necessity of action when all moral persuasion fails. 

WHEN SECULARISM EXCUSES EXTREMISM 

The purpose of secularism is to ensure that no religious group dominates or oppresses another. But today, it is increasingly misused to excuse and overlook minority extremism, even when it openly targets innocents. In doing so, secularism risks betraying its very foundation: the protection of the vulnerable and the upholding of justice. 

Let’s be clear: this is a law-and-order failure. And more deeply, a refusal to confront evil in the name of appearing tolerant. 

What the Gita Really Calls For

The Gita is often misunderstood as a text calling for detachment. In truth, it calls for purposeful engagement with courage and clarity. After Krishna’s message, Arjuna doesn’t meditate in a cave. He rises to fight—not out of hatred, but because justice demands it. 

The war that follows is not a celebration of violence but a necessity for peace. It shows that some forces must be opposed not with words, but with will. When faced with the truly demoniac, to withhold force is to empower violence. 

We Must Act—And Pray

Yes, we must pray—for the souls of the victims. But we must also pray for those in charge. That they may find the strength to act decisively—to cut down those who glorify terror. Thoroughly. Irreversibly. 

Evil that celebrates its evilness must not be reasoned with—it must be rooted out. 

Focus While Responding.

There are two distinct aspects to consider: 

1. What motivated the terrorists’ barbarity 

2. What should guide our response to it 

My focus was primarily on the second. In responding to such attacks, both the mainstream media and even governments have, in the past, allowed themselves to be caught in the religious framework. Within that framework, there’s a fear: if we act strongly against attackers from another religion, we might be labeled religious bigots because we belong to a different faith. This fear distorts justice. 

Our response should be shaped by principles, by a philosophical understanding of human nature: through the lens of the Bhagavad-gita, which speaks of divine and demonic natures. 

Why People Become Demonic – And Why That’s Not the Immediate Concern

Yes, it’s valid to ask: Why do people become demonic? 
Some are driven by a lust for power. Others by toxic ideologies—religious or otherwise. Often, it’s a dangerous mix of both. In this case, the terrorists were motivated, at least partly, by their fanatical interpretation of their religion — as seen by their own words and actions. 

These motivations matter in broader, long-term strategies. But when we are determining how to respond to a specific act of brutality, we need to treat it as we would any law-and-order issue. 

The Injustice of the Double Standard

If any other group committed such a heinous act of selective killing—say, if neo-Nazis today targeted a community as the Nazis did the Jews—the world would respond with complete unanimity, deploying the full might of the state to crush such forces. 

That such unanimity is lacking today shows that a false narrative has taken root—a narrative that undermines justice and emboldens evil. 

We need to reject that narrative. 

Be Unflinching in the Face of Evil

We must be unflinching in our resolve to stop such criminals—just as the president of El Salvador has done in his crackdown on brutal gangs. His example shows how swift, firm action can restore peace. 

Kashmir had been on the path to such a restoration. This attack was intended to derail that progress. The disruptors of peace must be stopped. Period. 

Kashmir Terror Attacks: The Urgent Need to Hit Back

The recent terrorist attack in Kashmir is not just an isolated tragedy—it is a wake-up call that demands a clear and courageous response. 

To respond to such attacks properly, let’s reflect around the acronym HIT: Hate, Intent, Thwart. 

H – Hate, Not Anger, Drives Such Attacks

There is a fundamental difference between anger and hate. Anger is hot. It flares up, but over time, it can subside. Hate is cold-blooded. It is calculated, nourished, and sustained over time. 

The nature of the attack in Kashmir shows it was not an emotional outburst of anger—it was a premeditated, carefully executed act fueled by deep-rooted hate. When hate drives actions, time does not heal wounds; instead, hatred festers and strikes again and again. Waiting passively in the hope that things will settle is a dangerous illusion. 

I – Intent to Disrupt Peace and Stability

This attack was not random violence. Its intent was targeted: 

· To sabotage the restoration of normalcy in Kashmir. 

· To disrupt tourism, derail economic recovery, and perpetuate instability. 

There is a sinister design at play—to keep people in the valley uneducated, unemployed, and undeveloped. When youth are denied education and employment, they become easy prey for indoctrination and radicalization. 

Recognizing this intent is critical. It’s not just an attack on individuals; it’s an attack on the very process of peace-building and societal healing. 

The Bhagavad-gita teaches that each of us has a sva-dharma—a duty aligned to our role. Administrators and protectors have a dharma to safeguard order and counter the forces of adharma. Failures of intelligence and lapses in preventive action must be studied—but more importantly, the intent to destroy peace must be thwarted decisively. 

Terrorism is the opposite of the spirit of kshatriya dharma. Kshatriyas protect; terrorists destroy. Kshatriyas restore order; terrorists revel in chaos. Kshatriyas fight with honor; terrorists kill with cowardice. It is kshatriya–dharma to crush terrorism. Indeed, heroes cherish such opportunities to fight for virtue. (Bhagavad-gita 2.32) 

T – Thwart the Designs by Being Forceful and Resourceful

How do we thwart the malicious designs of those who attack us? 

First, we must avoid two dangerous extremes: 

Extreme 1: Passive restraint, doing nothing significant, hoping peace will return by itself. We tried that after the Mumbai bombings—and it only emboldened the enemies. 

Extreme 2: Blind overreaction, where anger leads to poorly thought-out wars, causing massive collateral damage and benefiting only arms manufacturers—not peace. 

Neither naivety nor rashness will serve us. Instead, we need a kshatriya response—balanced and strong: 

· Forceful in hitting back against the perpetrators. Not allowing the agents of terror to feel they can strike and escape unpunished. 

· Resourceful in restoring the broader fabric of peace and stability. Multi-pronged strategies—military, political, educational, cultural, and economic—must be harmonized. 

While government authorities must find the strength and balance to be both forceful and resourceful, we too have a role to play, according to our svadharma. 

As citizens, we can: 

· Strengthen India economically—by contributing productively to society. 

· Strengthen India culturally and spiritually—by preserving and promoting our timeless heritage. 

· Strengthen India geopolitically—by standing united against forces that seek to divide us. 

Doing our svadharma in whatever role we have is the greatest contribution we can make to honoring the lives lost and securing the future of our nation. 

Let us not bend. Let us not break. Let us not belittle our role, even if it feels small. 

Let us HIT back—with clarity, courage, and commitment. 

Chaitanya Carana Dasa is the associate-editor of Back to Godhead (US and Indian editions). To read his daily Bhagavad-gita reflections, please subscribe to Gitadaily on his website, thespiritualscientist.com.