Philosophy notes02

Bhagvad Gita the Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered of Indian scriptures. Though it is much later than the Vedas, and does not constitute part of the revealed literature of the Hindus, it occupies a distinct and in some respects unrivaled place in Indian philosophical and religious literature. While it is almost conventional to view it is a separate text, it is in fact a part of the Mahabharata, and relays the teachings of Krishna to Arjuna. The occasion for these teachings was furnished by the great war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, who are also related to each other. As the battle is about to begin, Arjuna, one of the five Pandava princes, throws down his bow and arrow, and confesses his inability to kill his own cousins and kinsmen, as well as those revered teachers who had been the common tutors of the Kauravas and Pandavas. Krishna then delivers an oration, urging Arjuna to perform his duty, to be the warrior that he is, and it is these teachings that are encapsulated in the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of the Lord.

The teachings of the Gita have been the subject of much interpretation. The Gita counsels us to retain our equanimity, and says unequivocally that the sthitha-prajna , or the being preserved in wisdom, is moved to neither excessive joy nor excessive sorrow. Krishna is understood as recommending that we must fulfill our duties, but never with an eye to being rewarded for our activities; and that whatever travails the flesh may be heir to, the soul is always immortal. Thus, truly speaking, we do not have it within our power to kill anyone, nor can we be killed by anyone; and if Arjuna should imagine that he has such power, he has failed to understand the nature of the divine. The Gita lays out several paths to emancipation: for those inclined towards activity or service to humankind through works, there is karma yoga, just as those inclined towards devotion can practice bhakti yoga. The intellectually inclined can veer towards jnana yoga, the path of knowledge and intellectual discrimination. The eleventh chapter contains some of the most celebrated verses of the Gita. As these teachings have been delivered by Krishna, who however appears in human form, and that too as as the humble charioteer of Arjuna, the Pandava prince must be brought to the realization that he is in the presence of the Lord himself. Krishna consequently reveals to Arjuna his cosmic form, and Arjuna is dazzled by the vision of the Supreme Deity.

There are hundreds of commentaries on the Gita, and in modern times no great Hindu figure has failed to leave behind an interpretive work on this philosophical poem. The earliest, and still most moving, of the commentaries is the twelfth-century work by Jnaneshvar, a Marathi poet-saint, called the Jnaneshvari. From the purely literary and devotional standpoint, this work is without comparison. In the late nineteenth century, the Gita was put to different use. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, in his magisterial interpretation, the Gita-Rahasya, suggested that the Gita urges us to action. It is the devotionalism of the Hindus that, Tilak was to argue, made them incapable of defending the country against foreign invaders. Krishna's injunction to Arjuna to take up arms and perform his duty as a warrior was taken literally by the armed revolutionaries who now declared the Gita to be their indispensable bedside companion. But Mahatma Gandhi, who was inclined to view the teachings of the Gita as an allegorical representation of the conflict between knowledge and ignorance (rather than good and evil, if I may add that caveat) within each

person, insisted upon the centrality of the Gita's teaching that we must perform our duties without expecting the fruits of our labor. Gandhi called the Gita the 'Gospel of Selfless Action'. Among the modern commentaries, the most notable ones, besides those by Tilak and Gandhi, are by Aurobindo, Vinoba Bhave, Vivekananda, and Ramana Maharishi.

There are numerous recitations of the Gita as well, and the Gita has drawn the attention of many prominent Western writers, such as T. S. Eliot, Aldous Huxley, and Christopher Isherwood.

There are many English translations of the Gita: perhaps the most readable of these is one

by Swami Prabhavananda and Isherwood, though the translations of Swami Nikhilananda, S. Radhakrishnan, and Barbara Stoller Miller are both scholarly and literary. Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita is a trifle too ponderous but still unmatched.

Among the world’s scriptures,The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most popular texts. Its popularity is demonstrated by the fact that, next to the Bible, it is perhaps the most widely translated of scriptural texts. This scripture is suited for the entire man- kind, irrespective of a person’s religious or ethnic background.

The Gita is considered as the Revelation given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, in the battle field to help him resolve his mental conflict and was put in the present form by sage Vyaasa. In India, ever since the great Shankara wrote his commentary on it, many eminent scholars of the vedanta philosophy have given their interpretations of this exemplary text.

It is not the ancient Indian thinkers alone, but many leaders of modern times had also taken it as a text for expounding their noblest thoughts. Many books such as Tilak’s Gita Rahasya, Aurobindo’s Essays on Gita and Mahatma Gandhi’s Anasakti Yoga show the continued preference and admiration for Gita over centuries.

The tremendous appeal of the Gita is because it deals with practical problems of Life, and contains lessons that we can follow to resolve our day to day conflicts. This could be the reason why there are so many links to the Bhagavad Gita in the internet as well…

Modern age is an age of science. Hence some persons doubt the utility of Gita in the present times. But as a matter of fact perhaps it is in the present age alone that Gita is most urgently needed.

It can be said without exaggeration that most of the acute problems of man at present can be solved by following the teachings of Gita. The nature of human beings does not change with the change of time.

The Gita is based upon the fundamental principles of human nature and hence it will always be a source of inspiration to human beings. In the present age many philosophers, politicians and scientists have been inspired by Gita.

According to William Von Humboldt, Gita is “the most beautiful perhaps die only philosophical song existing hi any known tongue” Mahatma Gandhi wrote in ‘Yong India’ “I find in Bhagwad Gita which I even miss in the Sermon on the Mount.

When disappointment stares me and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagwad Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there and immediately begin to mile in the midst of tragedies.

My life has been full of extreme tragedies and if they have left no visible mark, no indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teachings of the Gita.” Tilak wrote Gita Rahasya

to elighten the modern world through Gita. Annie Besant and Sri Aurobindo have also interpreted Gita in the context of the modem age.

In the modern times when all the efforts of the world peace seem to rest on the walls of sand, Gita’s teaching of world brotherhood can very well guide humanity. The ultimate end, according to Gita is the consolidation of society. It has not only preached for the welfare of human beings but even that of all living beings as m. h. Gita has that liberality which is characteristic of Indian thought. Gita synthesized selfishness with altruism by seeing God everywhere.

Synthesis of Activism and Renunciation: The circumstances in the present times are however different from those in the time of Gita. In the context of Gita, Arjuna was tending towards renunciation. The modern men, however, tend in the opposite direction. But the need of Gita for the modem man is no less than it was for Arjuna, since both require a balance. Gita has advocated integral perfectionism. It refutes all one sided developments. It preaches “renunciation through activism”. In the words of Prof.

Hariyana, “Ours is an age of self assertion, not of self suppression. Men are not now likely to give up their duty to become reduces as Arjuna wanted to do. The danger some from the other side. In our eagerness to claim our rights and exercise them, we may ignore our duties. Hence the need of teaching of the Gita now is as great as ever.

Its value has not lessened through lapse of time and that is a mark of its greatness.” As a matter of fact, Gita is beyond the distinctions of space and time. Several types of temperament can attain peace through it. Its teachings have reached every country and have found place in thoughtful persons everywhere.

Various Interpretations: According to Samkar the central teaching of Bhagwad Gita is knowledge. Samkar does not emphasize action and devotion as necessary for knowledge and maintains them as subordinate to it. According to him one can attain liberation only by the knowledge of Reality. On the other hand, Ramanuja maintains that devotion is better than knowledge and action and the latter are not essential for the former.

According to Madhwacharya also devotion is the central teaching of Gita.

Ballabhacharya has also advocated this view and so is the view of Nimbarkacharya as well. Mahatma Gandhi has emphasized devotion, but laid excessive emphasis on the moral values.

All these views either emphasize knowledge or devotion. B.G. Tilak the author of Gita Raltasya, however, maintains karma Yoga as the central teaching of Gita and subordinates both knowledge and devotion to action, like Sri Aurbindo, Tilak occupies a place among the foremost commentators on Gita. Hence it is relevant to discuss his views critically and in details.

Tilak’s Interpretation: To support his view regarding the central teaching of Gita, Tilak in his Gita Rahasya, quotes a verse from Nyaya Philosophy meaning,”The beginning and the end, the occasional repetition, the novelty of the subject, the immediate result of the work, the subsidiary matter and finally the argumentation in support, are the seven ways of determining the aim of a particular work.” According to Tilak in Gita all these speak in favour of activism.

The occasion of Gita’s teachings:

The occasion in which the need for the preaching of the Gita arises is very much significant to determine its central purpose. It was a question of war. To regard a consideration of ultimate philosophical questions as falling within the main aim of Gita, is plainly ignorant Gita was required to convince Arjuna that fighting is his supreme duty and it is for this conviction that Sri Krishna has elaborated his teaching in more than 700 verses. ...................

The struggle against British colonialism marked a period when a huge number of Hindus became free from a very exploitative regime (and although the new regimes in India have eventually turned out just as worse as the British working against the interest of Hindus) – it cannot be denied that the freedom fighters against the British Raj deserve the respect of all.

The post-World War 2 era of world history saw the dramatic end of colonialism all around the world. The first and most devastating blow to colonialism was the freedom of India, in which over night 1/5th of humanity were freed. Despite the sad events that accompanied Independence (i.e. the partition of India and the accompanying massacres), Independence Day is a happy event, celebrated by over a billion people every year. India was the first country to free herself, and her freedom gave impetus and hope to the freedom movements of so many other countries spread out over. Asia and Africa. This section is dedicated to the sacrifice of all of the freedom fighters who struggled against European colonialism.

Many of the most prominent freedom fighters were inspired by the Bhagavad Gita. Many even went to the gallows and were executed with the Gita in their hands. The Swadeshi movement of Bengal in 1905 began with a gathering of 50,000 people on the streets on the streets of Calcutta, each with the Gita in their hands. The crowds proceeded to the Kali Temple where they vowed to boycott British goods and drive the British from their lands. The following are very brief biographies about some of the many great leaders and freedom fighters that drew inspiration from the Gita: Lokmanya Tilak (1856-1920) was known as the “Father of Indian Unrest”. He was the very first person to demand full independence from Britain in the Congress sessions. He explained: “The most practical teaching of the Gita, and one for which it is of abiding interest and value to the men of the world with whom life is a series of struggles, is not to give way to any morbid sentimentality when duty demands sternness and the boldness to face terrible things.” And “It is my firm conviction that it is of utmost importance that every man, woman and child of India understands the message of the Gita.”He write a commentary on the Gita called “Gita Rahasya”, which even today is one of the best books written on the Gita Bankim Chandra Chatterji (1858-1930) – Bankim Chandra was not a freedom fighter, but through his writings he sparked of an intense freedom struggle and breathed a new passion and life into the nation, particularly his native region of Bengal, which became kindled with religious, nationalistic and artistic fervour after being infused with the powerful visions contained in his writings. Virtually all of you will have heard the famous slogan “Vande Mataram” (I bow to the Mother). The poem and song by this name was

first written by him in his famous novel “Anandamath”. The Anandamath story is set in 18th century India, when a group of warrior sannyasis mounted a guerilla war against Muslim rule (based on a true historical attempt by sannyasis to do precisely this). It was a riveting story line with amazing characters and meaningful dialogues. Yet more importantly, hundreds of thousands of Indians took the story as a metaphor for their own present day situation, understanding it as a call to arms to drive the new tyrants (the British) away from the sacred soil. “Vande Mararam” became the slogan of the freedom struggle. Bankim Chandra drew deep inspiration from the Gita. He wrote a commentary on the Gita, which was only three quarters complete when he died, and an inspiring life sketch of Krishna based on historical and literary research, titled Sri Krishna Charitra.

Mahatma Gandhi’s (1869-1948) role in the freedom movement of India needs no explanation. His very name invokes images of India’s Independence. He was a kshatriya who fought his battle with unique weapons. He drew great inspiration and courage from the Gita, “I find a solace in the Bhagavad-Gita that I miss even in the Sermon on the Mount [Gandhi felt that the Sermon was the most deep and meaningful dialogue in the Christian teachings]. When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad-Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there , and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies — and my life has been full of external tragedies — and if they have left no visible or indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teaching of Bhagavad-Gita.”

Sri Aurobindo Ghose (1872-1950) was one of the greatest revolutionaries in the early phase of the Indian freedom struggle, and is recognised throughout the world as a great mystic, intellectual and visionary. He felt that India’s weakness had been due to a weakminded and cowardly group of leaders, who did not have the nerves to face hardship and take risks for the better of the nation. He emphasised the necessity of the Gita in uplifting India as well as liberating humanity from the bondage of our lower nature into the bliss of divinity. He wrote a beautiful selection of essays on the Gita and its secrets. “A certain class of minds shrink from aggressiveness as if it were a sin.

It is an error, we repeat, to think that spirituality is a thing divorced from life…. It is an error to think that the heights of religion are above the struggles of this world. The recurrent cry of Sri Krishna to Arjuna insists on the struggle; “Fight and overthrow thy opponents!”, “Remember me and fight!”, “Give up all thy works to me with a heart full of spirituality, and free from craving, free from selfish claims, fight! Let the fever of thy soul pass from thee.”

Damodarpanth Chapekar (executed 1898) – In the late 1890’s, in the Maharashtra province of India, there was a devastating plague, which killed many people. The British colonial government was very unhelpful about relief for the suffering people. Indeed, the British agricultural policies (enforcing production of cotton rather than traditional food crops) seriously compounded the problem. The celebrations of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee (50 year’s of rule) were held in the Poona city of Maharashtra. The celebration was carried out with such immense pomp and splendour, in a region where innumerable people were suffering. This sent a wave of resentment amongst the Indian populace, against the colonial government. It was at this time that the erstwhile limited freedom struggle against the British gained support and momentum. As a mark of the people’s resentment against the British administration, an important incident occurred which was

to breath a hitherto unknown fire into the revolutionary freedom movement. Outraged by the countless miseries of the famine and plague stricken masses and the excesses committed by the British soldiers, Damodarpant Chapekar shot dead the British plague commissioner, Mr Rand, and the British officer Mr Ayerst on June 22, 1897, in Poona (the city which has been a cradle of heroes throughout history). He was later betrayed by two friends, and was sentenced to death. He embraced the gallows with the Bhagavad Gita in his hands on April 18th 1898.

Madanlal Dhingra (1887-1909) was the assassin of Sir Cyrzon Wyllie, in London in 1909. He was executed in London on 17 August 1909. Bhagat Singh acknowledged Dhingra as his predecessor. A colourful and brave personality throughout his short life, he died with the Gita in his hands.

Khudiram Bose (1889-1906) was a young revolutionary from Bengal. He was brought up with a deep knowledge of the Hindu heritage, and he was constantly pained that a country which had once achieved so much was now bankrupt and under foreign yoke. He was arrested and hung at the young age of 17 for his part in an attack on British targets. He had the words “Vande Mataram” on his lips and the Bhagavad Gita in his hands when he died.

Hemu Kalani (1923-1943) was a freedom fighter from Sindh, who participated in all aspects of the freedom struggle, from the boycott of British goods, to Gandhi’s campaigns and revolutionary activities. He was caught in a plot to steal British munitions and supply it to Indians. While marching to the gallows, he consoled his distressed mother by quoting verses from the Gita regarding the indestructibility of soul. This shows the bravery and coolness that the Gita can inspire, even in the face of calamity. He said as he was about to be executed that he would like to be born again to finish the job of liberating India. He embraced the gallows with the Bhagavad Gita in his hands on April 18th 1898. eko sastra devakiputra gita, eko devo devaki putra eva.. mantra eko tasya namani yani karmat ekaa tasya devasya deva....lets there be only one scripture for humanity,let there be only one god, the supreme personality of godhead lord krishna, let there be only one mantra the name of krishna and let there be only one duty how to please the supreme lord by devotional service. .................................

Introducing Srimad Bhagavad Gita - A User's Manual For Every Day Living

By T.N.Sethumadhavan, October 2010 [tnsethu@rediffmail.com] 1 2 3 4 Chapter : “Live in the world but don’t be of the world. Live in the world but don’t let the world live within you. Remember it is all a beautiful dream, because everything is changing and disappearing. If you become detached you will be able to see how people are attached to trivia and how much they are suffering. And you will laugh at yourself

because you were also in the same boat before”. - Osho The Gita’s wide appeal The Bhagavad Gita was first translated into English by Charles Wilkins in 1785 and published by the British East India Company with an introduction by Lord Warren Hastings, the first British Governor-General of India, in which he prophetically wrote: “The writers of the Indian philosophies will survive when the British Dominion in India shall long have ceased to exist, and when the sources which it yielded of wealth and power are lost to remembrance”. He further wrote “I hesitate not to pronounce the Gita’s performance of great originality, of sublimity of conception, reasoning and diction almost unequalled and a single exception amongst all the known religions of mankind”.

The Gita deals with human problems in a human way. That is why it has a tremendous appeal. It has inspired the human mind in India for centuries and today it casts its spell on millions of people across the various parts of the world. It remains the most translated work in the Globe. The modern technology like the Internet has further increased its reputation by carrying its message to every nook and corner of the world. A mere click on the word ‘Bhagavad Gita’ in the Google search engine throws about 963,000 results.

An incredible reach for any scripture!

Among the great and extraordinary people who were inspired and found their outlook changed by the timeless wisdom of the Gita are thinkers, writers, scientists and philosophers like Mahatma Gandhi, B.G.Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, Albert Einstein, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Herman Hesse, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Aldous Huxley, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Annie Besant, Robert Oppenheimer Sir Edwin Arnold and Carlyle to name but a few.

In India it was left to Adi Sankara who lived in the 8th century A.D. to reveal the greatness of the Gita to the world. He retrieved it from the mighty tomes of the epic, the Mahabharata, and wrote a brilliant commentary on it. It is this commentary which prevails as a classic text even today. Later great acharyas like Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha and others came out with their own commentaries which are popular among their followers. In modern times Sant Jnanesvar, B.G.Tilak, Aurobindo contributed their original thinking on the text.

Despite this enormous popularity, the Bhagavad Gita remains a less understood but a better known text; people know more about it than what is it about. On the analogy of what the Bhagavad Gita says in Chapter 2, Verse 29 some look upon the book as marvelous, a scripture of extraordinary or mysterious value, some others speak of the book as wonderful. And still others though hearing its teachings do not comprehend its wonderful significance!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna also says in the Gita (7.3) “Among thousands of men , one by chance aspires for perfection; even among those successful aspirants only one by chance knows Me in essence.” A question arises why such enlightened persons are so rare in our midst and why such an achievement is not within the reach of everyone.

Vedanta being a subjective science rarely one tries to know how to remove one's weaknesses and develop inner strength much less one tries to live up to the ideals propounded by it and bring about consequent re-adjustments in one's life. Very few feel this urge to evolve themselves and most of us do not even find the need for self improvement. We grope along by the voice of tradition, authority, herd-instinct and group-mentality. Of those who strive to see the truth and reach the goal, only a few

succeed. Of those who gain the sight, not even one learns to live by the sight.

No wonder once a teacher wanting to educate a child about the Gita asked him “Do you know Gita”? The child replied “Yes, I know, that is the name of my next door aunty”.

The child obviously heard of Gita and had his own meaning of it in his mind and remained happy about it. That is the case with most of us today including the large mass of modern educated sections. Then where do we go from here? Again, the Gita says by constant learning and practice one can certainly improve oneself. Let us attempt to heed that advice through this series of essays.

What is the Gita?

The dictionary meaning of the word ‘Gita’ is a song or poem containing an inspired doctrine and the word ‘Bhagavat’ means a blessed or adorable or venerable or divine One. Hence Srimad Bhagavad Gita is variously called as ‘The Song of God’, ‘The Divine Song’, ‘A Song of Fortune’, ‘The Lord’s Song’, ‘The Holy Song of God’, ‘The Song of the Lord’, Gudartha Deepika, Gita Rahasya, Jnaneshwari, Bhavaarthadipika, Sadhaka Sanjeevani and so on. The noted English poet, journalist and a Principal of the Government Sanskrit College at Pune, Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904) called his famous poetic version of the Bhagavad Gita as ‘The Song Celestial’. The Bhagavad Gita’s another title is ‘moksha sastra’ or ‘Scripture of Liberation’. However, it is more popularly known as “The Gita”.

The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu scripture, considered among the most important texts in the history of literature and philosophy. It finds a place in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. It comprises of 18 chapters spread out in 700 verses. Its author is Veda Vyasa, the compiler of the Mahabharata who wrote this epic through the hands of the Lord of Wisdom, Sri Ganesha. Its teachings are considered timeless and the exact time of revelation of the scripture is considered of little spiritual significance. The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna, who is revered as a manifestation of God, The Bhagvan, Parabrahman.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra before the start of the war between the two clans of brothers - the Kauravas and the Pandavas.

Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Bhagavan Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different Vedantic concepts. This has led to the Gita being described as one of the prasthana traya, the triumvirate of the canons of Hindu Philosophy, the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras.

It is considered as a concise, practical, self-contained guide to play the game of life.

During the discourse, Krishna reveals His identity as the Supreme Being (Svayam Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of His divine universal form.

The Gita itself tells us about what it is. At the end of the first chapter we find a narration reading as under: om tat sat iti srimad bhagavadgeetaasu upanishatsu brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade arjuna vishaada yogo naama prathamo'dyaayah|| “Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the first discourse entitled: The Yoga of the Despondency of Arjuna”

The narration as given above at the end of the first chapter occurs also at the end of all the other subsequent chapters, the only difference being the respective title of the chapters. This narration is called `sankalpa vakya' meaning an epilogue for the chapter. It reveals in a very concise form the glory and greatness of the Gita and states the theme of the concerned chapter.

The meaning of this recital is as under: 1. Om Tat Sat: A designation for the Absolute enabling everybody to turn towards Godhead.

2. Gita is called: Upanishad because it contains the essence of all the Upanishads which are the revelations of the ancient sages.

3. Brahma Vidya or the science of the Eternal because it teaches about the changeless Reality behind the ever-changing phenomenal world of perceptions, emotions and thoughts.4. Yoga Shastra because it is a scripture that explains the technique of right living and provides a practical guide to work it out in the form of Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga.

5. Samvad because it is in the form of a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, the Divine and the human, the former teaching the latter how to function successfully and efficiently in a community.

6. This chapter is entitled `Arjuna Vishaada Yogah' or the Yoga of despondency of Arjuna.

Central Theme of the Gita The Bhagvad Gita can be studied from different angles such as a historical document, a spiritual treatise, a scriptural text for daily chanting and prayer, a sublime poetry, an exposition of Grammar and meter, or a management manual, depending on one’s own outlook and purpose.

The objective here is to study it as a spiritual text and try to find out its main theme. Our ancient Rishis have given us a six-point test to determine the main theme of a text. This is called ‘sadvidvidha tatparya nirnaya linga’. In the light of this six-factor test let us look at the Gita to discover its central theme.

The 1st point is called upakrama and upasamhara - the beginning and conclusion of a text. The crux of the subject in the text starts with Arjuna’s confusion, his acceptance of the delusion and surrender to the Lord as a sishya with a request to teach him what is the best for him. The text ends with his statement that all his doubts were cleared, his delusion is gone and he regained his memory of the Self. This kind of beginning and end of the text shows that the Bhagavad Gita contains the Knowledge that removes the delusion and bestows the Supreme Good.

Even from the teacher’s view point, the text starts from Sri Krishna telling Arjuna that he is grieving for that which should not be grieved for thereby explaining how sorrow is borne of delusion. It ends by asking Arjuna whether the delusion had gone. This makes it clear that the entire purpose of the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna was aimed at removing spiritual ignorance which is the cause of delusion. Thus the removal of sorrow and delusion (soka moha nivritti) is the main theme of the Gita.

The 2nd point is called abhayasa - repetition and emphasis in the text. The 2nd chapter gives ample evidence to this aspect. Krishna frequently tells Arjuna not to grieve and puts forward the reasons for that view from several angles like the true knowledge, duty, ignominy etc. Similarly, the concept of sthitaprajna has been highlighted in several ways

at various places. This shows imparting Self-Knowledge is the key note in the text.

The 3rd point is called apurvata - the novelty or uniqueness of the theme. Sri Krishna calls this Self-Knowledge as a secret,guhyam because normal extroverted minds cannot grasp it and hence very few succeed in knowing it. Similarly, moderation in all walks of our lives has been stressed at many places. The teachings of the Gita are thus unique.

The 4th point is phalam or the fruit or the end result of the study of the text. Removal of sorrow and confusion and attainment of clear thinking and supreme knowledge enlightenment - are the end result of the study of the text.

The 5th point is arthavada - positive praise of the subject and negative condemnation of the opposite. We find many slokas in the text extolling the supreme Self-Knowledge and condemning spiritual ignorance. Thus attaining the Supreme Knowledge is the goal of the Gita.

The 6th and the last point is upapatti - illustration and reasoning. We find in the text that Krishna has been giving a lot of logical explanations and reasoning to convince Arjuna about his teachings. He uses profusely the word ‘tasmat’ meaning ‘therefore’. His arguments are given from many standpoints, the main goal of all His efforts being elimination of sorrow and delusion through Self-Knowledge. The nature of Self is also revealed through examples and reasoning. These indicate the Supreme knowledge ( tattva jnanam) as the main subject matter of the Gita.

Therefore Self-Knowledge (atma jnana) which eliminates our ignorance and the consequent problems created and bestows the ultimate good for all of us (shreyas) is the core theme of the Gita.

Over-view of the Gita The entire Bhagavad Gita can be divided into five topics viz.

1. Identifying the problem (covered in the 1st and the starting portions of the 2nd chapters of the Gita).

2. Finding a solution (covered in the major portion of the 2nd chapter and reiterated in the 7th, 9th and 13th chapters.

3. Implementing the solution (This theme is dealt with in the 3rd, 5th, 12th and 18th chapters).

4. Understanding the values of life (stated in many places in the Gita and particularly in the 16th chapter) and 5. Achieving perfection (elaborated in the 2nd, 5th, and 14th chapters).

Arjuna’s misunderstanding, his inability to see things as they are and consequent grief and self-pity just at the crucial moment of war are the problems. The solution to them can be short term which will only be of temporary nature or long term which will be of permanent nature. The Gita offers a long term solution with which anybody can face any situation in life at any time anywhere. This spiritual solution teaches us to look at life as a whole and live a whole life. Finding a solution is just not enough. We must know how to implement it. The Gita provides us with a practical guidance that helps us to understand how to live according to the guidelines offered.

But living a life according to the guidelines offered is also not adequate unless it is spiced with certain basic vision and values. If a person’s vision of life is limited to mundane happiness derived from the senses, he will merely spend his life time in eating, drinking and making merry. His value system will revolve round making money by any means to satisfy his never ending needs. But the value system of a person with a

philanthropic bent or an animal lover or an environmentalist or spiritually oriented will be entirely different. The Gita provides us with such an enlarged vision of life laying the foundation for a sense of fulfillment.

Finally, the Gita gives us the vision of a person who has gained the supreme Knowledge and lives anchored in it. One who faces problems and crisis in life gains the vision of Truth, puts it into practice, and lives according to that value system. He becomes ajivan mukta, liberated in this very life. He is called a sthita prajna and the Gita gives us a vivid description of his nature.

Such an analytical understanding of the various topics in the Bhagavad Gita makes it easy for us to study it fruitfully and gives us a ready reference point to check out the slokas (verses) according to our requirement.

Main concepts of the Gita The main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad Gita is the explanation of five basic concepts.

1. Jiva, the individual soul or the living being 2. Jagat, the universe he lives in or nature or matter 3. Jagadishvara, the creator of the universe or the Supreme Controller and the relationship between Jiva, Jagat and Jagadishvara.

4. Dharma (Duty in accordance with Divine law) 5. Kaala (Time) Krishna counsels Arjuna on the greater idea of dharma, or universal harmony and duty.

He begins with the tenet that the soul (Atman) is eternal and immortal. Any 'death' on the battlefield would involve only the shedding of the body, whereas the soul is permanent.

In order to clarify his point, Krishna expounds the various Yoga processes and understanding of the true nature of the universe. He describes the yogic paths of devotional service -Bhakti Yoga, action - Karma Yoga, meditation - Dhyana Yoga or Raja Yoga and knowledge - Jnana Yoga.

Fundamentally, the Bhagavad Gita proposes that true enlightenment comes from going beyond identification with the temporal ego, the 'False Self', the ephemeral world, so that one identifies with the truth of the immortal self, the absolute soul or Atman.

Through detachment from the material sense of ego, the Yogi, or follower of a particular path of Yoga, is able to transcend his/her illusory mortality and attachment to the material world and enters the realm of the Supreme.

Krishna does not propose that the physical world must be abandoned or neglected.

Rather, one's life on Earth must be lived in accordance with greater laws and truths; one must embrace one's temporal duties whilst remaining mindful of timeless reality, acting for the sake of service without consideration for the results thereof. Such a life would naturally lead towards stability, happiness and, ultimately, enlightenment.

In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna refers to the war about to take place as ‘Dharma Yuddha’, meaning a righteous war for the purpose of justice. He also states that he incarnates in each age (yuga) to establish righteousness in the world.

Why Study The Gita?

Srimad Bhagavad Gita has been a source of inspiration and enlightenment for generations. The message of the Gita is not merely a general spiritual philosophy or ethical doctrine but it has a bearing upon the practical aspects in the application of such principles in our day-to-day lives. It is indeed "An Users' Manual for the Practice of the

Art of Right Living".

The centuries old Bhagavad Gita continues to be the most relevant beacon light for all of us today. The modern man, like Arjuna, is at the crossroads where the focus is more on improving the Standard of Living rather than the Standard of Life, more on the Stock Exchange Index than on the Human Development Quotient, more on the Cost of Living than on the Quality of Life. This has resulted in his disorientation and imbalance in an environment of shifting values. While science aims to enhance the comfort of human life, spirituality teaches us how to be comfortable with what we have. That is the difference. In this scenario, the Gita is the only source of strength for the development of an integrated personality, a complete man, within us.

The Gita teaches how to achieve harmony with divinity in the midst of disharmony by subduing all outward energies and remaining in equanimity with pairs of opposites like pain and pleasure, aversion and attraction, success and failure etc. The focus of the Gita is moderation and its aim is the total surrender of man before the Supreme while continuing to perform his duties in the spirit of Yoga.

The problem that is facing us today is that while the world is coming closer physically it is drifting apart mentally and emotionally. Hence all the conflicts and violence, destruction and damage across the globe. The urgent need, therefore, is the reconciliation and reconditioning of the human mindset, to inculcate a global vision and bring about the universal brotherhood.

The Gita is specially suited for the purpose, as it attempts to bring together varied and apparently antithetical forms of the consciousness and emphasizes the root conceptions of humanity which are neither ancient nor modern, belonging neither to the east nor the west, but eternal and universal.

Its beauty and sublimity lie in its everlasting relevance to the daily problems of human life, either occidental or oriental. It prescribes the methods which are within the reach of all. It has a message of solace, freedom, salvation, perfection and peace for all human beings. The more you study it with devotion and faith, the more you will acquire deep knowledge, penetrative insight and clear, right thinking. It is indeed a recipe for sane living for every man and woman across the world. .....................

METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE GITA RAHASYA Dr. S. K. BASU Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856 - 1920) was a great son of mother India. A front-ranking patriot, a reputed journalist, an eminent educationist, a profound scholar, and a man of spotless personal character and integrity, he made his mark in whatever he undertook. But perhaps the greatest achievement of his life, for which he will be remembered and respected so long as Hinduism survives, is his Gita-Rahasya, a scholarly and original interpretation of the Bhagavadgita, written in Marathi, during the period from November 1910 to March, 1911 - while he was interned in Mandalay jail for his role as a freedom fighter.

In the Gita-Rahasya Tilak has tried to unravel the real import of the advice

given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, just before commencement of the fratricidial was between the kauravas and the pandavas.

The urge for undertaking such an intellectual exercise arose out of Tilak’s conviction that the existing commentaries on the Bhagavadgita, written by the great medieval scholars (Achatyas) were biased, and hence, do not provide a correct interpretation of Lord Krishna’s utterances on the battlefield.

The Gita is universally acknowledged to be one of the three authoritative works or pillars of the Vedanta philosophy (known as Prasthanatraryi), the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahmasutra. The Upanishads are many in number, and written as they were by different authors at different times, contain diverse philosophical views, some of which are prima facie mutually contradictory. Therefore, ordinary readers find it difficult to understand their true significance.

In the Brahmasutra (also known as the Vedanta Sutra and Sariraka Sutra) an attempt was made by Badarayana to harmonise the teachings of the Upanishads. But the result has not be very satisfactory, as the Sutras are written in the form of brief aphorisms and have again been interpreted differently by various scholars representing different sects, viz. Shakara (Advaita or monism), Ramanuja (Visistadavaita or qualified monism), Nimbarka (Bhedaveda or difference and non-difference), Madhava (Dvaita or dualism), and Vallabha (Sudhadvaitavada or pure non-dualism).

The Gita is a relatively consistent and compact work of seven hundred verses, divided into eighteen chapters, and its language is lucid and inspiring. It is believed to contain the quintessence of Hindu philosophy, as its author, Lord Krishna, tries to harmonise various conflicting beliefs and religious practices current at that time. Its appeal to successive generations of Hindus over a period of more than tow thousand years has been unique in the history of any religious scripture. Millions of Hindus read it regularly for guidance and inspiration. Even many non-Hindus have acclaimed it as a great work in the realm of philosophy and ethics.

Devout Hindus consider the Vedas and the Upanishads (the latter forming the concluding portions of the former) to be of divine origin. They were revealed to the sears (Rishis) and, were not man-made. Hence they enjoy the highest status in Hindu thought.

Every religion deals broadly with two kinds of problems; namely, those concerning the fundamental tenets and ideals that remain valid for all times and under all circumstances; and those which relate to the social, political and economic issues, and problems of the time. In Hindu thought the former is referred to as Sruti or knowledge revealed to the seers and the latter as Smriti, or that which is the creation of great saints and seers. Sruti always enjoys a higher status because it forms the fundamental basis of a religion which cannot be questioned by any body without being a heretic.

Although the Bhagavadgita is not asruti text, nevertheless, it enjoys a very high status as a religious work. Every devout Hindu believes Lord Krishna, the author of the Gita, to be an Avatar or Incarnation of God. The words coming out of the mouth of the

God incarnate have, therefore, the highest validity and respectability in the eyes of believers.

Moreover, the Gita discusses certain issues concerning man’s duty in critical situations of life along with the criterion for judging what is right and what is wrong.

Metaphysical questions are discussed in the contest of certain live issues that confront man every now and then. Hence, the Gita is used by millions as a moral and spiritual reference book for guidance in worldly life. This is not the case with many other scriptures.

The kind of problem that Arjuna faced several thousand years ago, are faced by most of us at certain critical moments in our lives. And the solution offered by the Lord in the distant past, remains valid even today, for they are based on a logical exposition of the nature of the ultimate reality or truth and man’s place and duty in the world. So long as the creation will continue man will again and again, be confronted with the same kind of problem as Arjuna faced, and will also be forced to seek proper solutions to them. The validity of the Gita is, therefore, universal and eternal.

Nevertheless, the interpretation of the message contained in the Gita has been a subject of fierce controversy. Obviously, Lord Krishna must have offered some specific advice to Arjuna in order to enable him to overcome the dilemma confronting him at that point of time. But scholars have interpreted the same words in different ways, thereby creating a lot of controversy and confusion. This is quite natural, for the prestige of the Gita is so great and its appeal so universal that each and every sect tried to find support in it for the particular religious views held by it. Even in our day to day mundane activities often we try to justify our actions and views on the authority of some great personality or book. No wonder, therefore, that the great medieval religious leaders representing various sects tried to enlist the support of the Gita in favour of their respective views.

In his boyhood Tilak was often told by his elders that if one wanted to attain salvation (Moksha) one must renounce the world and become a Sanyasin. This set him thinking. The question that arose in his mind was; does Hinduism want a devotee to give up or renounce the world in order to be able to attain the perfection of manhood? Tilak was also told that the Bhagavadgita was universally acknowledged as a book containing all the essential principles of the Hindu religion. Therefore, he thought that the Gita must provide an answer to his query and hence started studying it objectively without any preconceived ideas. The conclusion he arrived at was that “the Gita advocated the performance of action in this world even after the actor has achieved the highest union with the Supreme Deity by Jnana (Knowledge) or Bhakti (Devotion)” 1 How and on what basis Tilak arrived at the above conclusion will be discussed elsewhere. Here we are primarily concerned with the methodology adopted by him and the influence of Positivism as propounded by Auguste Comte (the celebrated nineteenth Century French Philosopher) and some others on the author.

Comte (1798 - 1857) advocated adoption of the positive or scientific

methodology, as opposed to the theological and metaphysical methodologies, used in earlier times. According to the Positive philosophy, it is not possible for man to know the essence of phenomena. We know only the constant relations between phenomena, the relation of succession and of similarity among facts or the constant resemblances which link phenomena together. The constant sequences, are termed their laws. “The laws of phenomena are all we know respecting them. Their essential nature, and their ultimate causes, either efficient or final, are unknown and inscrutable to us.2 “According to Positivism, therefore, the origin and the end of the things are insoluble problems. “Only that which lies intermediate between the two inscrutable termini of the world is an object of knowledge.3 According to Comte, the theological, the metaphysical and the positive methods have been successively used in human history. The theological age continued from the beginning of civilization upto about 1300 A.D. Then began the metaphysical age which ended in about 1800 A.D. Afterwords the scientific age, which is characterized by emphasis on analysis of phenomena began. The positive method supports the value of science for prediction and social control.

Comte says: “In whatever way we study the general development of the huma intellect, whether according to the rational method or empirically, we discover, despite of all seeming irregularities, a fundamental law to which its progress is necessarily and invariably subjected.

This law consists in the fact that, the mental constitution of man, and every portion of it, of necessity, passes through three successive phases, the Theological, the Metaphysical and the positive or physical. Thus man began by considering phenomena of every kind as dueto the direct and continuous influence of supernatural agents; he next regarded them as products of different abstract forces, residing in the bodies but distinct and hetero geneous; while he ends by viewing them as subjected to a certain number of natural and invariable laws which are merely the general expression of the relations observed in their development.” 4 Sheer dialectal argumentations of the Cartesian and Hegelian type become

negative. Hence, Comte argued that it was essential to utilise the positive methods and techniques of science for progress of civilization. This method supports the value of science for prediction and social control. In place of efficient and final causes, it lays emphasis on concomitance and sequence of phenomena for a scientific organisation of society. But the Positive philosophy “is not a recent invention of M. Comte, but a simple adherence to the traditions of all great scientific minds whose discoveries have made the human race what it is”5. Before Comte Kant also had maintained that we know nothing of Things in Themselves, (Noumena) but only of things as they are presented for us (Phenomena) though he admitted that beyond the world of sense there may exist an omnipotent, omniscient cause of the world.

As Mill rightly points out, the Positive mode of thought is not necessarily a denial of the supernatural; it merely throws back that question to the origin of all things.

“If the universe had a beginning, its beginning by the very condition of the case, was supernatural; the laws of nature cannot account for their own origin” 6.

In the third chapter of the Gita-Rahasya, sub-titled Karma-Yoga Sastra, Tilak has briefly examined the different methods of scientific exposition, according to both Indian and Western theories. He says that the subject matter of any science may be discussed in three different ways, Adhi-Bhautika, (positive or materialistic), AdhiDaivika (theological) and Adhyatmika (metaphysical). Citing the example of the Sun he says that when we look upon it not as a deity, but a “round mass of gross matter made up of the five primordial elements, and examine its various properties, such as its hear, or light, or weight, or distance, or power of attraction, etc., that becomes the positive or material examination of the Sun.”7. This method is used in all modern sciences, such as chemistry and physics, and Tilak adds that “materialists imagine that when they have examined in this way the visible properties of any object, that is all the need to do and that it is useless to further examine the objects in the world.” 8 But if this method is discarded and an attempt is made to discover what lies at the root of the material world, that is, “whether the activities of the objects are due to some inherent properties in them, or there is some other power or principle behind those activities, then one has to transcend the material examination of the object.”9 Repeating the example of the sun Tilak argues that if it is held that there “exists a deity called the ‘Sun’ which dwells within it, and that this deity carries on the activities of the material Sun, such examination is called an Adhi-Daivika (Theological) examination of the object.”10 According to this theory all worldly objects have their respective presiding deities without which activities of the former will stop.

The third theory is that “there exists in this world some Spiritual Force, i.e., factor of consciousness (eicehakti) impreceptible to the organs, which carries on all the activities of the external world; and that this spiritual force exists in the human body in the shape of an Atman and acquaints the human being with the entire creation.”11 There also exists a corresponding supreme power of force (commonly referred to us Brahman).

Which controls the entire creation and without which all worldly activities will cease.

This is called an Adhyatmika (metaphysical) point of view.

These three ways of viewing the world have been in existence for a very long time and they have been followed even in Hindu religious books such as the Upanishad and the Bhagavadgita. Tilak quotes the examples found in theBrihadaranyaka and other Upanishads while considering whether the organs of perception (Jananendriya) or the vital force (prana) is superior, and adds that in deciding this question the respective strengths (of the Organs and Prana are considered. “Once from the point of view that they have deities like Agni etc., and again by considering their subtle (metaphysical i.e. adhyatmika) forms (Br. 1.5.1 and; chan. 1. and 3, kausi 2,8,) and the consideration of the form of the Isvara at the end of the seventh chapter and in the beginning of the right chapter of the Gita is also from this point of view.”12 Out of these three methods discussed above, Tilak prefers the metaphysical (Adhyatmika) method, on the ground that Indian religious writers attach a higher importance to it.

In the fourth and fifth chapters of the Gita Rahasya Tilak has examined various theories of happiness and unhappiness, as advocated by materialistic schools, such, as, the gross hedonism of Charvaka and Jabali, the refined hedonism of Hobbes and Helvetius, the altruism of Sidgwick and the utilitarianism of Bentham, Mill and Shaftesbury, and has rejected all of them as inadequate. Supporting the metaphysical point of view he says: “... our philosophy of Karma-Yoga has ultimately come to the conclusion that the doctrines of the benefit of everybody’ or ‘the greatest happiness of the greatest number’, or ‘the highest development of humanness’, or other such external test or Materialistic methods of determining questions of Morality are inferior tests . . .” 13 In the sixth chapter Tilak has examined the intuitionist school of ethics as propounded by Christian writers. He considers this theory as unsatisfactory on the ground that “besides mind and intellect, there is no foundation for recognizing the existence of a separate and independent entity like conscience or moral intuition”.14 He feels that intuition is included in Vyavasayatmika buddhi or pure reason.

After discussing the various standards of ethical action as advocated by different schools, Tilak finally opts for the metaphysical world outlook. Observe the following comments.

“Therefore, one has to come to the ultimate conclusion that there exists in this activated living Body some comprehensive and potent power which is more powerful and more comprehensive than the various dependent and one-sided

workmen in the Body who work in grades rising from organs like the hands and feet to life, Activity, Mind and Reason; that this power remains aloof from all of them, and synthesises the activities of all of them and fixes for them the direction in which they are to act, and is an every-awake witness of all their activities”. 15 Thus it is seen that Tilak finally chooses the metaphysical approach to ethics, as he considers the hedonistic and intuitionist schools to be inadequate and unsatisfactory.

According to him “the meaning of the words Brahmavidyayam Yogashastre is that the ethics of the Gita is based on the spiritual perception of the nature of reality.” 16 Comte wanted to elevate sociology to the rank of a positive science, using the same method as is applied in the natural sciences, namely, interrogation and interpretation of experience by means of induction and deduction. After a careful consideration of the “history of the world he came to the conclusion that the highest religion of every human being is to love the whole human race and to continually strive for the benefit of everybody While Mil, Spencer and some other English Philosophers support this view, kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer and other German philosophers have proved that this positive method of considering ethics is” inefficient and they have recently revived in Europe the method of basing Ethics on Metaphysics adopted by our vedanta Philosophers.” 17 Tilak was considerably influenced by the methodology of T. H. Green, who deduced his ethical conclusions from his metaphysical views. Green was an idealist and believed in one absolute spiritual reality. His ethics is, therefore, based on a spiritual world out-look, as is the case with the followers of the Vedanta philosophy. Man according to Green, has no isolated existence. Hence he cannot “Contemplate himself as in a better state, or on the way to the best, without contemplating others.”18 In other words, “human perfection can not be pursued individually, in a selfish manner. It has to be sought collectively by all.19 Also in judging the moral worth of an action Green took into account the motive or intention of the person concerned. In his opinion, “It is not by the outward from...that we know what moral action is. We know it, so to say, on the/inner side.”20 Tilak’s interpretation of the Gita bears stamp of these ideas.

In the Gita it is stated that after arriving at the battlefield, Arjuna found the armies of the Kauravas and pandavas arrayed against each other, ready to fight. Seeing his kith and kin on the opposite side of the battlefield, he became overwhelmed by compassing and grief. He was totally nervous and in no time the determination and courage with which he came to the battlefield to settle old scores with the kauravas, vanished. His limbs drooped, mouth dried up, body shivered and hairs stood on end. The great bow Gandiva slipped from his grip, and he experienced burning sensation of skin.

He was even unable to stand as his head reeled. He saw bad omens and told Lord Krishna that he would not fight because he did not sire Kingdom and worldly pleasures at the cost

of the blood of his Kinsmen.

Thus there was dramatic change in Arjuna’s mental condition within a short time, – after arrival at the battlefield and taking a glance at the general disposition of the two armies. In fact, even after arriving at Kurukshetra, his determination remained intact for some time as is evident from the fact that he had raised his bow and asked Lord Krishna, his Charioteer, to place the chariot between the two armies, so that he could have a look at the persons against whom he would have to fight and thus review the situation. A very valid question, therefore, arises as to what happened within such a short time that changed Arjuna’s mind so radically and dramatically? In other words, what was the cause of the sudden change in the attitude of Arjuna who came to fight but refused to do so just when each side was getting ready for it. After all, Arjuna was not a coward, nor was he a novice in the science and art or war-fare. He was reputed as one of the best, if not the best, heroes of his time, For such an outstanding soldier to suffer a nervous breakdown at the very beginning was most surprising. In a war what matters most is high morale, even if weak in physical strength. But Arjuna became dispirited before even an arrow was shot at him. What was the reason?

In appears that Arjuna suddenly felt that it would be morally wrong on his part to kill the Kauravas, who were his kith and kin although they had wronged him and his family in a number of ways. Verses 31 to 46 of Chapter 1 of the Gita contain the various arguments advanced by him in support of his changed attitude. But his main point was that it would be better to die without offering resistance than to incur sin by killing the near and dear ones. It is obvious, therefore, that Arjuna’s mind became confused as he could not decide what his proper duty or course of action was in that particular situation.

In other words, he faced a moral dilemma, mainly because of lack of a proper perspective based on a true understanding of reality or truth underlying the phenomenal world.

Tilak says that the critical position in which Arjuna had found himself in the commencement of the Bhagavadgita, “as a result of being caught between two mutually contradictory paths of duty and became doubtful about his proper duty is not some thing unique”.21 Every now and then great and responsible persons who wish to discharge their duties in life consistently with righteousness and morality find themselves in such circumstances. He quotes several example from various sources, including Shakespear’ Hamlet, to prove the point. Hamlet became insane and finally met a tragic and because he could not decide whether he should kill his uncle who had murdered his father and married his mother, or pardon him because he was his own uncle and step-father.

Fortunately such a calamity did not overtake Arjuna because he was luckly enough to get Lord Krishna’s moral support and guidance.

In trying to understand the true import of Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna, it is extremely important to understand the ethical, religious and metaphysical basis underlying it. Which form the core of vedanta Philosophy. Anybody who thinks that Lord Krishna had encouraged violence, or did not do so but recommended renunciation, or that he preached a philosophy of action, or of devotion etc., without understanding the metaphysical and ethical ideas of Hindu though in general and Vedanta philosophy in

particular, on the basis of which the advice was tendered, will miss the point. In Hindu philosophy and religion various alternative paths for God realization (viz. those of knowledge, action, meditation, devotion etc.) have be prescribed depending on the situation, and the status of the aspirant. The Gita tries to harmonise these apparently contradictory means of attaining the summan bonum of life. It is easy for anyone following anyone of these means or methods (Yogas) to find passages in the Gita eulogising or supporting a particular stand-point. That does not mean, however, that lord Krishna prescribed only one of these Yogas exclusively, without taking into consideration such factors as the status of the person concerned, and the situation in which he is placed.

Once a principle or criterion is laid down (as was done by lord Krishna) a particular aspirant has to apply it to his own specific situation and choose his own course to action.

Towards the end lord Krishna said: Thus has knowledge most secret been declared to you by Me: reflect on it fully and act as you like (chap. 18.63) This and other related issues will be considered in detail elsewhere because they do not fall within the scope of the present discussion: However, it is important to note here that excepting the first chapter which prepares the background for lord Krishna’s exhaustive exposition of the Vedanta philosophy, all the other subsequent seventeen chapters of the Gita are full of subtle metaphysical and ethical thoughts. They relate to the nature of the Truth or Reality behind thee phenomenal world including the nature of human soul, its relationship with the Creator and the aim and purpose of human existence and how to achieve it. In fact, as already stated, lord Krishna has harmonised the various religious and metaphysical thoughts current at that time over the all embracing foundation of the vedanta philosophy.

Coming back to the main point, it is found that although the Comtean methodology is valid for the material sciences which function within the broad operations of space and time and sense perceptions, it hardly helps in spiritual and ethical realms. In his sociological theory Comte advocates universal love and brotherhood. This is very good and useful. But the question arises, why should one love others unless there is some common bond underlying everyone, past, present and future? like comte, the Utlitarians also advocate the highest good of the greatest number. Prima facie it looks very convincing and attractive. But there may be, and have been, situations in which the perception of the highest good is not only faulty but also positively harmful. Fanatics all over the world have fought wars and killed millions of innocent men, women and children, in the supposed pursuit of good as understood by them. In the absence of an underlying spiritual basis of criterion they could not be, at that particular point of time, questioned and contained. But future has always exposed the hollowness of all such beliefs and practices. As Swami Vivekananda points out, utilitarian standards cannot explain the ethical relations of men...He says, “why should I do good to other men, and not injure them? If happiness is the goal of mankind, why should I not make myself happy and others unhappy.” 22

Following the ideal of Vedanta philosophy, according to which there is only one Absolute Spiritual Reality behind the entire creation, Tilak prefers the metaphysical (Adhyatmikia) point of view to the positive out look of Comte. If the matter is scrutinised to its logical end, it would appear that the Utilitarian (or the Positive) ideal of the greatest good of the greatest number is basically an outcome of some such spiritual outlook, although it may not be recognised or admitted. There is no reason why one should love others unless some basic identity at a deeper level is recognised. In the Vedanta philosophy this basic identity rests on the recognition of the same eternal self (atman) in every creature. In the Gita it has been proclaimed, “the knowledge by which one sees the one undivided imperishable substance in all beings which are divided, should be known as Sattvika” (18.20) Therefore, although sociologically Comte and others like him may be correct, their theory do not adequately, account for ethical and spiritual values and truths.

Jesus Christ demonstrated a similar spiritual outlook when he preached universal love and tolerance. He believed in the existence of one Supreme Father in the heaven as the source of all creation. He said, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” (St. Luke, 27). Without some such fundamental belief a proper justification for advocating good of others is found wanting.

Now, the question arises, in the present age of science and rationalism is there any justification for belief in any supernatural spiritual force (God or Brahman)? What justification or proof can be advanced in support of such a belief? According to Swami Vivekananda, religion has to be realized internally by every one.” Religion, like other sciences, requires you to gather facts, to see for yourself, and this is possible when you go beyond the knowledge which lies in the region of five senses.” 23 The science of religion can be mastered not with the help of sense-organs but by intuition and introspection. Man has achieved great success in exploring the truth or law working in the physical universe.

But very little effort has been made so far to discover the truth underlying the entire existence including spiritual experience. The same principle working in the outside world is also present in man. Prophets and seers have come face to face with this truth and they have broadly indicated the method to be used to share the same experience. The proof of religion lies in its experience internally, through introspection and meditation. It is wrong to say that no proof exists. But the proper method and means must be adopted and the proper effort has to be made to get at the truth.

Tilak’s choice of the adhyatmika methodology is absolutely valid in as much as it is a time-tested principle in the realm of spiritual experience. Lord Krishna explained the true (spiritual) remove his ignorance, and after this was accomplished, it was not difficult for Arjuna to decide for himself what his duty was at that particular situation.

There is no scope for any dogmatic assertion in this regard as it is quite possible that placed in a different situation another person (or even the same Arjuna) might have chosen a different course of action. There is no single fixed duty for all persons and under all circumstances or stations in life. However; there is a fixed criterion on the basis of which duty has to be determined and discharged, therefore, to say that Lord Krishna preached only this or that to the exclusion of all other possibilities. Would be dogmatic and not in keeping with the comprehensive and universal message of the Gita.

To sum up, tilak’s choice of the adhyatmika (metaphysical) methodology is quite appropriate as the Gita is a work on metaphysics and ethics where the positive methodology has little applicability. In the Upanishads again and again we come across condemnation of the idea of separateness and emphasis on man’s spiritual kinship with all creation. It is interesting to note that this ‘basic oneness, this non-separateness is the theme of modern scientific thought as well”.24 The dichotomy between matter and spirit is tending to diminish, and in this changed situation the spiritual world-view is gaining ground, even in those areas which were earlier thought to belong to the domain of physical sciences.

REFERENCES 1 Tilak, Bal Gangadhar: Om-Tat-Sat Srimad Bhagavadgita rahasya or karma-Yoga-Sastra, Tr. by B.S. Sukhtankar first English edition, (Poona, tilak Brothers, 1935), P. XXV,-herein after referred to as Gita - Rahasya 2 Mill, J. S. Auguste Comte and Positivism (The University of Michigan Press, 1961) P. 6 3 Falckenberg, R. History of Modern Philosophy Calcutta, Progressive Publishers, 1953), P, 555 4 Comte, Auguste The Crisis of Industrial Civilization: The Early Essays of Auguste Comte (London, Heinemann Educational Books, 1977), P. 182 5 Mill, J. S. Op. cit., PP. 8-9 6 Ibid P. 14 7 Gita-Rahasya P. 84 8 Ibid, 9 Ibid 10 Ibid P .85 11 Ibid 12 Ibid 13 Ibid. P.164 14 Varma, Dr. V P The Life and Philosophy of Lokmanya Tilak (Agra, lakshmi Narain Agarwal, 1978), P. 484 15 Gita-Rahasya P. 199 16 Varma, Dr. V P. Op. cit. P. 484 17 Gita-Rahasya, P. 87 18 Green, T H Prolegomena to Ethics (London, Oxford University Press, 5th edition, 1906), P. 229 19 Basu, Dr. S. K. Foundations of the Political Philosophy of Sarvodaya (Delhi, Light and bliss Publishers, 1984), P.75 20 Green, T. H. Op. cit., P. 229 21 Gita-Rahasya P. 40 22 Vivekananda, Swami: Jnana-Yoga (Calcutta, Advaita Ashrama, 5th impression, 1980), P. 11 23 Vivekananda, Swami: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (Calcutta, Advaita Ashrama, 1989), Vol. VI, P. 133 24 Ranganathananda, Swami: The Message of the upanishads (Bombay, Bhartiya Vidya

Bhawan, 1987), P. 110 Back ...............................

There are a lot of different opinions on the origins and meanings of the Bhagavad-Gita.

The historical placing itself is questioned by many scholars and its definite meaning is speculated on by many philosophers. (Klostermaier, 2007, pp. 74-5) The conversation of Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra is deep and intricate, and it covers a wide range of thoughts. This essay aims to look at two famous interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gita which focus on the doctrine of action. Bhagavad-Gita arguably focuses on Karma-Yoga (action), Jnana-Yoga (knowledge) and Bhakti-Yoga (devotion), which commentators argue about, considering which of them is the concluding and ultimate path mention in the Bhagavad-Gita is.

The commentators selected here consider the main essence of the message of the Bhagavad-Gita to be the concept of Karma-Yoga. The first of the two commentators selected is Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), an active nationalist in Indian history. (Flood, 2001, p. 259) His non-violent protests caught the attention of many in India’s historical push for independence. (Flood, 2001, p. 259) The second commentator selected here is Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920), another heavily active nationalist in a similar time era as Mahatma Gandhi. (Doniger, 2009, p. 27) His reputation seemed to be that of an extremist from the view of outsiders. (Nehru, 1988, p. 63) The essay hopes to draw out how the Bhagavad-Gita’s many themes can be focused on to draw out very similar conclusions (in this case, that of action) and can otherwise be used to support a variety of completely opposing ideas (in this case the possibility of violent or militant nationalism and non-violence, passivism). Mostly I would like to look into how the interpreters introduce their Bhagavad-Gita interpretations, some of their very fundamental ideas that they propagated in their lives and how these conclusions coincided with the outsiders’ perception of their sociopolitical regimes in Hindu/Indian Nationalism.

Tilak’s Bhagavad-Gita commentary – the Gita Rahasya – is not a very systematic text and he prefers to present his work in chapters based on different philosophical aspects that he finds important as opposed to the book’s natural flow. Tilak lends himself to the belief that the text is a real story (or at least that it’s not an allegorical rendition). He takes the Bhagavad-Gita on its own and also in its greater context in relation to the outside story of the Mahabharata in this light. (Tilak, 1935, p. 2) Like many previous commentators, Tilak claims that his opinion is not a biased one but totally objectionable.

Simultaneously, He has also claimed in this context that he has realized the original purport of the text. (Tilak, 1935, p. xxiv) This is a nice gesture to be made on behalf of Tilak but it would appear from an outside perspective that his agenda was very much Hindu/Indian nationalism and that the interpretation of Bhagavad-Gita as a book of action would instantly lead support to an ambition in this tapered direction. (Klostermaier, 2007, p. 442) Although he claims to bring a fresh light to interpreting the Bhagavad-Gita, it would not seem too stretched to suggest that perhaps he was indeed trying to put the Hindu/Indian stance behind a text that the Christian, British settlers had been trying to dig

into for so long. In this light, Tilak disagreed with scholarly dates offered by outside scholars for crucial periods of Indian history. (Klostermaier, 2007, p. 20) In stating his own lack of prepossession of ideas in his reading of the text, Tilak also notes that the Christian mind was prejudiced in this regard. In stating his lack of conflicting prejudices he seems to hint his lack of appreciation of previous outsider commentaries, an interesting point to note in regards to later discussed matters of Hindu/Indian nationalism.

(Tilak, 1935, p. xxiv) Tilak’s concept of Karma-Yoga was decided as his ultimate means of service to God or oneness with the deity. He considered this doctrine of action as the unifying principle that should always be performed. (Tilak, 1935, pp. xxv-vi) Jnana-Yoga and BhaktiYoga were definitely there in the Bhagavad-Gita but devotion and knowledge, he considered, were nothing without the impetus of action. One could act in devotion and one could act in knowledge but without such action these separate concepts were not really a viable medium to practice within out lives. (Tilak, 1935, p. xxv) In Tilak’s introductory statements to his text, compiled from speeches, he very much derides the concept of complete material renunciation as a path allocated by Bhagavad-Gita, although there are many statements in the Bhagavad-Gita which could lend support to such a path. He concludes that “Action alone must be our guiding principle […]” (Tilak, 1935, p. xxvii). In this way, Tilak suggests that the ultimate religious goal, whether supported by the concept of grace or not, was only achievable by our own personal efforts, and not simply some spiritual, sentimental dependence on the figure of God. “HE has willed that self can be exalted only through its own efforts.” (Tilak, 1935, p. xxvii) In the religious world, where grace and one’s personal endeavour for salvation are concerned, this kind of connotation is a very definite categorization for Tilak’s set of beliefs. This statement is interesting in the greater Hindu diaspora because in the Hindu religious context, the debate of grace and personal endeavour were two definite stances in theological approach, which arguably could change the set values of any man.

(Klostermaier, 2007, p. 211) Naturally, in this light, we see Tilak as a man of his own actions, not stemmed down by any binding beliefs.

Gandhi’s Bhagavad-Gita commentary – The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi – is based on lectures that he delivered to his followers in his ashram, for a period in 1926 where he withdrew mostly from his political activities. This time was over thirty five years later than Gandhi’s original acquaintance with the Bhagavad-Gita. (Gandhi, 2000, p. 10) He chose not to comment on many verses and thus his commentary seems rather selective. The book itself has a systematic format, chapter by chapter with the original text’s flow (whether or not Gandhi actually spoke it in a systematic way). Gandhi admits that, in the efforts of translating the Bhagavad-Gita, he isn’t a fully competent linguist in this regard, which might take away from his essential grasping of the text’s ultimate conclusions and intricate concepts. Gandhi considered the Bhagavad-Gita to be a spiritual reference book, something that was appropriate for assisting one in their approach to daily conduct, although he considered that no one could perfectly live up to the ideal expectations of the Bhagavad-Gita. (Gandhi, 2000, p. 15) Gandhi suggested that the previous commentaries of the Bhagavad-Gita definitely had their place but still suggested that all Gujarat people should read his commentary (his version originally appearing in Guajarati, his native language). (Gandhi, 2000, pp. 15-6)

Gandhi personally did not take the Bhagavad-Gita as a historical text, nor did he see the larger context of the Mahabharata as a historical rendition. (Gandhi, 2000, p. 16) Gandhi considers the figure Krishna in the text of Bhagavad-Gita to be imaginary, based on the author’s own devotion, whether such a person actually existed in real history or not, outside the context of the Bhagavad-Gita. (Gandhi, 2000, p. 17) Gandhi was noted for being a man that was not so much concerned with ancient Hindu mythology so it is not so surprising for him to have such a peculiar view. (Flood, 2001, p. 261) Gandhi’s personal opinion of the text was that it was actually an allegorical rendition, based on the conception of human’s inner struggle in life, as opposed to a real story book or set of factual events and conversation. (Klostermaier, 2007, p. 75) Gandhi seems to have an obvious opinion about the original author of the Bhagavad-Gita and is perhaps openly not running in line with the original purpose of the text but perhaps this is not of his ultimate concern. (Gandhi, 2000, pp. 16-7) Gandhi strings the main teachings of “truth” and “non-violence” from the Bhagavad-Gita. (Gandhi, 2000, p. 22) In the Bhagavad-Gita’s doctrine of achieving true renunciation, Gandhi propounds knowledge as the key. In regards to the efforts of knowledge, Gandhi suggests that the Bhagavad-Gita insists that knowledge will come with devotion. Ultimately though, Gandhi will end up saying that devotion without action is not really a proper example of true devotion and thus action becomes the outstanding principle. (Gandhi, 2000, pp. 19-20) Scholars agree that both Gandhi and Tilak’s doctrines taught through Bhagavad-Gita were ultimately propounded as Karma-Yoga, and this doctrine of action was expressed most obviously in the realm of religious nationalism and the struggle for Hindu/Indian independence. (Knott, 2000, p. 38) The religious text that was used by other Hindu religious paths was now to be used for the Hindu/Indian nationalist cause, making its way into the socio-political realm. (Klostermaier, 2007, p. 146) In terms to both of their approaches to this nationalistic endeavour, Tilak is more than often referred to as an “extremist”, whereas Gandhi, although heavily influential and thought provoking, was seen as moderate man in his seemingly non-violent endeavours. (Nehru, 1988, p. 63) Tilak was seen as an outstanding extremist in the Nationalist circles. (Zavos, 2002, p. 7) He amassed a large amount of attention in the nationalist scene but he also managed to receive a very large amount of criticism for his sharp schemes of action. (Klostermaier, 2007, p. 75) Like the great scene of the Bhagavad-Gita, Tilak’s nationalism campaigns were often enough leaning towards the militant nature. (Doniger, 2009, p. 27) Although there are certainly violent connotations in the Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita, some scholars considered it an ambiguous stretch of interpretation of Bhagavad-Gita or the former text to formulate it into such a mainstream plan as a just means of action in common affairs. (Doniger, 2009, p. 283) Gandhi’s use of the Bhagavad-Gita and his whole socio-political campaign was on the other side of the spectrum, though also highly successful. Gandhi opted for a passive resistance from the British oppression of India. (Flood, 2001, p. 259) Gandhi saw the self, God and the truth as one. He took this as an argument that we should practice nonviolence and this whole paradigm reflected in his various campaigns. He used BhagavadGita to support this whole campaign but discovering non-violence within the BhagavadGita itself was an ambiguous task to say the least. (Flood, 2001, p. 260) Although Gandhi was pushing so much in the struggle for Indian independence, he considered that

there was no real victor of a campaign based on violence. (Lipner, 2002, p. 187) It’s a sad irony to note that Gandhi, who spent a life in pursuance of non-violence, died a violent death. (Flood, 2001, p. 262) The Bhagavad-Gita is a text filled with so much wonderful, thoughtful depth and therefore so many people dive into it to bring out what supposed jewels they consider to be of value. It seems from the selected subjects (Gandhi and Tilak) that there are some great similarities in their contributions but also some very vast differences. They both profess Karma-Yoga as the ultimate, a stance of difference from many others. At times, it does not seem they draw their arguments from the full context of the text, although they would claim they stem from the Bhagavad-Gita. For a book with a subject not directly linked to nationalism, it is interesting also to note how they could bring an otherwise religious book into this realm, and at the same time consider their regimes to be an ultimately religious endeavour.

For the part of differences, the two took two very different approaches to their similar nationalistic branch in their doctrine of divine action. The decision of violence or nonviolence, in the terms of the Bhagavad-Gita, are both very hard to define as definite approaches to the text’s purpose and both of the commentators have stemmed out in either of these directions. Krishna never instructs Arjuna to be passive in battle, to support the suggestion of non-violence, and to otherwise draw out the context and apply it to an urge to take up violence would also be a stretch considering Arjuna’s unwillingness to fight and the previous context of the Mahabharata.

It is also interesting to note that one author took the text literally and the other took it allegorically. This is a great look into the light of Hinduism, where no exact stretch of faith or ultimate ideal rule one out of the Hindu umbrella, and that one’s take of the history and mythology of Hinduism do not render one any less Hindu than the other.

Tilak took to the mythology in a historical passion but Gandhi stepped out of this realm, though still supporting so many aspects of historical Hinduism. The versatility of the Bhagavad-Gita so nicely reflects the versatility of Hinduism, ready to be stretched out to support such an abundance of culture and views, but it would be wrong to then oppose the original text for such ambitions because the original text perhaps has a totally different reason for existence.

Bibliography Doniger, W. (2009). The Hindus: An Alternative History. New York, NY, United States of America: The Penguin Press.

Flood, G. (2001). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge.

Gandhi, M. K. (2000). The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi. (J. Strohmeier, Ed.) Berkeley, California, United States of America: Berkeley Hills Books.

Klostermaier, K. K. (2007). A Survey of Hinduism (Third ed.). Albany, NY, United States of America: State University of New York Press.

Knott, K. (2000). Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. New York, United States of America: Oxford University Press.

Lipner, J. (2002). Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices.London: Routledge.

Nehru, J. (1988). Jawaharlal Nehru: An Autobiography. New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press.

Tilak, B. G. (1935). Gita Rahasya (First ed., Vol. 1). (B. S. Sukthankar, Trans.) Poona, India: Tilak Bros.

Zavos, J. (2002). The Emergence of Hindu Nationalism in India. New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. ........................

No other living tradition can claim scriptures as numerous or as ancient as Hinduism; none of them can boast of an unbroken tradition as faithfully preserved as the Hindu tradition. Hindu literature is the most ancient and extensive religious writings in the world. Hindu religion is not derived from a single book. It has many sacred writings which serve as a source of doctrine. The most important texts include the Vedas, Upanishads, the Puranas, the Epics - Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita.

Hinduism is very much a religion of revelation. Hindus are the most thoughtful people, and their literature is characterized by constant concern with humanity's spiritual destiny.

In response to this concern they have created elaborate philosophical concepts and wrote great epic poems, narrative literature and fiction. These vast epics, and the four 'books' of the Vedas, were originally transmitted by a phenomenal human chain of memory, and only written down centuries after their actual compilation. This oral tradition still exists in India today. The early phase of the Vedic tradition in India is dated between 10,000 7,000 BCE. According to Professor Klaus K. Klostermaier: "Since ancient times India has been famous for its wisdom and its thought. The ancient Persians, Greek and Romans were eager to learn from its sages and philosophers. When, in the eighteenth century, the first translations of some Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita became available to the West, European philosophers rhapsodized about the profundity and beauty of these writings.

Here they encountered a fusion of philosophy and religion, a deep wisdom and a concern with the ultimate, that had no parallel in either contemporary Western philosophy or Western religion. Indian philosophy is highly sophisticated and very technical and surpasses in both in volume and subtlety."

Sir William Jones was always impressed by the vastness of Indian literature. He wrote: "Wherever we direct our attention to Hindu literature, the notion of infinity presents itself." Hinduism has always laid great stress on Pramanas (the means and instruments of correct knowledge). Hindu philosophers have discussed at great lengths the science of Noetics. Max Muller says: "In thus giving the Noetics the first place, the thinkers of India seem to have again superior to most of the philosophers of the West." ................. home hindu Quotes

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No other living tradition can claim scriptures as numerous or as ancient as Hinduism; none of them can boast of an unbroken tradition as faithfully preserved as the Hindu tradition. Hindu literature is the most ancient and extensive religious writings in the world. Hindu religion is not derived from a single book. It has many sacred writings which serve as a source of doctrine. The most important texts include the Vedas, Upanishads, the Puranas, the Epics - Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita.

Hinduism is very much a religion of revelation. Hindus are the most thoughtful people, and their literature is characterized by constant concern with humanity's spiritual destiny.

In response to this concern they have created elaborate philosophical concepts and wrote great epic poems, narrative literature and fiction. These vast epics, and the four 'books' of the Vedas, were originally transmitted by a phenomenal human chain of memory, and only written down centuries after their actual compilation. This oral tradition still exists in India today. The early phase of the Vedic tradition in India is dated between 10,000 7,000 BCE. According to Professor Klaus K. Klostermaier: "Since ancient times India has been famous for its wisdom and its thought. The ancient Persians, Greek and Romans were eager to learn from its sages and philosophers. When, in the eighteenth century, the first translations of some Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita became available to the West, European philosophers rhapsodized about the profundity and beauty of these writings.

Here they encountered a fusion of philosophy and religion, a deep wisdom and a concern with the ultimate, that had no parallel in either contemporary Western philosophy or Western religion. Indian philosophy is highly sophisticated and very technical and surpasses in both in volume and subtlety."

Sir William Jones was always impressed by the vastness of Indian literature. He wrote: "Wherever we direct our attention to Hindu literature, the notion of infinity presents itself." Hinduism has always laid great stress on Pramanas (the means and instruments of correct knowledge). Hindu philosophers have discussed at great lengths the science of Noetics. Max Muller says: "In thus giving the Noetics the first place, the thinkers of India seem to have again superior to most of the philosophers of the West."

Introduction Vedas Upanishads Bhagavad Gita All Matter is Nothing but energy Brahman: The All- Pervading Reality Itihasa: The Great Epics 1. Ramayana 2. Mahabharata Conclusion Introduction The Vedas are not puerile babblings of rustic troubadours, but sedate out-pourings of exceptional minds in quest of God. Early Rig Vedic hymns were composed between 6,000-1500 BCE. Like indestructible gems they have come down during many thousands of years in spotless perfection. From the Vedas they evolved the Upanishads, whose copious enquiries into the nature of man, the Universe, and God, strike us with speechless wonder. They evolved the most perfect language in the world, Sanskrit, with a scientific alphabet and perfected vocabulary, and a grammar which is itself a great work of art.

Their intellectuals vying with each other, propounded six systems of philosophy explaining man, universe, and God, before which Aristotle's and Plato's theories look like juvenile endeavors, which fell flat on their own country-men. They discovered the Earth's dual motions, and studied the courses of constellations and stars, and founded the twin sciences of astronomy and astrology. They probed the human frame, and perfected a system of medicine for the welfare of the body, evolved the science of Yoga for the health of the mind, and the Tantra Shastra to develop the psychic and esoteric forces latent in man's being. They brought out Dharma Sastras to guide man's conduct in society, Grihya Sutras to guide the conduct of house-holders, and a unique science, Meemamsa, prescribing sacrificial lore for the attainment of individual and national prosperity. They codified the laws of sanitation, town-planning, architecture, sculpture and enunciated the principles of music, dancing, and the art of love. They laid down principles of state-craft, and of the art of war, with human and animal strategy, with physical weapons, or shastras, and enchanted weapons or astras.

The English knowing world began to read of the greatness of Indian civilization in the 18th century. Scholars, one after another, caught glimpses of its luster, and becoming curious, slowly unveiled the enveloping shroud and gaze with ever growing wonder at is astonishing extent. Russian, German, Italian, Swedish, French, and American intellectuals also turned their telescopes on the Indian sky during the period, and expressed their appraisal in no uncertain terms.

But the bulk of the English educated public of India are still unaware of its rich past. (source: Sanskrit Civilization - G. R. Josyer International Academy of Sanskrit Research. p. 3-4)

The Sanskrit word for philosophy is darsan or 'seeing', which implies that Hinduism is not based merely on intellectual speculation but is grounded upon direct and immediate perception. This, in fact, distinguishes Indian philosophy from much of Western philosophical thought. The oldest and most important scriptures of Hinduism are the Vedas, which contain inspired utterances of seers and sages, who had achieved a direct perception of the divine being. The Vedas are considered to be eternal, because they are not merely superb poetic composition but represent the divine truth itself as perceived through the elevated consciousness of great seers.

In general, Hindu scriptures may be classified into two divisions: Sruti scriptures and Smriti scriptures.

Sruti in Sanskrit means "that which is heard." Thus the Vedas are the eternal truths that the Vedic seers, called rishis, are said to have heard during their deep meditations. The Vedas are not considered the works of the human mind, but an expression of what has been realized through intuitive perception by Vedic rishis, who had powers to see beyond the physical phenomena. As such, Vedas are considered of divine origin. The Vedic truths were originally transmitted by the rishis to their disciples over thousands of years. At a later date, these were compiled by Sage Vyasa for the benefit of future generations.

India's teachings are not speculative. They are based on divine revelations. Indeed, the revelations are so cosmic that they approach more closely the findings of physics and astronomy than the pious pronouncements of preachers. The rishis made claims so cosmic that even modern physics seems only to be catching up with them and realizing, after every scientific breakthrough, that the ancients were there long before them. Sruti include the Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva) and the Bhagavad Gita. The Vedas are the primary scriptures of Hinduism. Each of the four Vedas consists of four parts: Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads.

Smriti means "that which is remembered." Smriti scriptures are derived from the Vedas and are considered to be of human origin and not of divine origin. They were written to explain and elaborate the Vedas, making them understandable and more meaningful to the general population. All authoritative writings outside the Vedas are collectively referred to as Smriti. Smriti inlcude the Dharma Shastras, Nibhandas, Puranas, The Epics, Agamas or Tantras, Darshanas and Vedangas (Upa Vedas). According to Alain Danielou distingused Orientalist, " The Puranas provide genealogies, which go back to the sixth millennium B.C. E. and are probably largely authentic. The stories and descriptions of the various regions of the earth and the various civilizations living on the "seven continents" provide priceless documentation on the world's oldest civilization."

The Smriti are considered the secondary scriptures of Hinduism. These scriptures are classified in the following diagram: Classification of Major Scriptures Note: Each of the four Vedas consists of four parts: Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranykas, and Upanishads.

The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Epics (The Mahabharata). (image source: The Hindu Mind - By Bansi Pandit). *** Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1854-1930) in his History of Sanskrit Literature tells us that 'the importance of Indian literature as a whole consists of its originality. When the Greeks

towards the end of the fourth century B.C. came to the north-west, the Indians had already worked out a national culture of their own, unaffected by foreign influence.

Sir William Jones was always impressed by the vastness of Indian literature. He wrote: "Wherever we direct our attention to Hindu literature, the notion of infinity presents itself." (source: Eminent Orientalists: Indian European American - Asian Educational Services. p. 21).

To the Hindu, Shruti is what cannot be thought up by the limited human intellect, but is of God. It is what is forever valid, never changes, is not dependent on the limited capacity for understanding of any one historical person. The Hindu for this reason is proud not to need a historical founder. The founder and foundation of the Vedas and the Upanishads is the Brahman itself, is what is indestructible and timeless. (source: Vedanta: Heart of Hinduism- By Hans Torwesten p. 23).

The Vedas and the Upanishads are to India what the Crown and Scepter are to an anointed king. They are India's proudest and most ancient possessions. They are the world's oldest intellectual legacies. They are the only composition in the universe invested with Divine origin, and almost Divine sanctity. They are said to emanate from God, and are held to be the means for attaining God. Their beginnings are not known. They have been heirlooms of the Hindus from generation to generation from time immemorial.

When Europeans first came to know of them, they roused amazement. Guigault of France exclaimed: "The Rig Veda is the most sublime conception of the great highway of humanity." (source: Sanskrit Vistas - By J. R. Josyner p. 1).

Professor F. Max Muller says: "The Vedic literature opens to us a chapter in what has been called the education of the human race, to which we can find no parallel anywhere else." (source: India: What can it teach us - By F. Max Muller p. 89). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism and Stotra Rathnas.

Top of Page Vedas The Vedas (Book of Knowledge) are the greatest legacy of India, a prodigious body of verse, philosophy and hymns that is among the world's oldest written sacred scriptures.

The Vedas are the discoveries of the laws of nature, the world and the being living in it and the Ultimate Truth. They are called apauruseya grantha (authorless works) as they are not books composed by men at a particular period of time. Ancient sages received these eternal Truths as revelations in meditation.

The Four Vedas are the primary texts of the spiritual and religious records of the ancient culture and teachings of India. The four Vedas are the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. The religion of the Rig Veda is well known. It is pre-eminently the worship of Nature in its most imposing and sublime aspect. The sky which bends over all, the beautiful and blushing dawn which like a busy housewife wakes men from slumber and sends them to their work, the gorgeous tropical sun which vivifies the earth, the air which pervades the world, the fire that cheers and enlightens us, and the violent storms which in India usher in those copious rains which fill the land with plenty, these were the gods whom the early HIndus loved to extol and to worship. Such is the nature-worship of the

Rig Veda, such were the gods and goddesses whom our forefathers worshipped more than four thousand years ago on the banks of the Saraswati. The conception of the nature-gods and the single-hearted fervency with which they were adored, argue the simplicity and vigor of a manly race, as well as the culture and thoughtfulness of a people who had already made a considerable progress in civilization.

In the first years of his stay at Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) most original philosopher of modern India. He made a deep study of the Vedas and, struck by the light it threw on his own experiences, rediscovered its lost meaning. In his book India's Rebirth ISBN: 81-85137-27-7 - p. 94: He wrote: "I seek a light that shall be new, yet old, the oldest indeed of all lights...I seek not science, not religion, not Theosophy but Veda - the truth about Brahman, not only about His essentiality, but about His manifestation, not a lamp on the way to the forest, but a light and a guide to joy and action in the world, the truth which is beyond opinion, the knowledge which all thought strives after - yasmin vijnate sarvam vigna - tam (which being known, all is known); I believe it to be the concealed divinity within Hinduism..."

"I believe the Veda to be the foundation head of the Sanatan Dharma; I believe it to be the concealed divinity within Hinduism, - but a veil has to be drawn aside, a curtain has to be lifted. I believe it to be knowable and discoverable. I believe the future of India and the world to depend on its discovery and on its application, not, to the renunciation of life, but to life in the world and among men. I believe the Vedas to hold a sense which neither mediaeval Indian or modern Europe has grasped, but which was perfectly plain to the early Vedantic thinkers."

"The mind of ancient India did not err when it traced back all its philosophy, religion and essential things of its culture to the seer-poets of the Vedas, for all the future spirituality of her people is contained there in seed or in first expression." (source: The Vision of India - By Sisirkumar Mitra p. 59).

Vedic Rishis - the Ancient Pathmakers Watch Scientific verification of Vedic knowledge Watch video - Brahmins in India have become a minority *** The Rishis were the revered pioneers of the Hindu religion, and pre-eminent among them are Vishvamitra and Vasistha. The great Rishis of the Vedic age composed the hymns, fought their wars, and ploughed their fields; but they were neither Brahmins, nor Kshatriyas nor Vaisyas. The hymns of the Rig Veda speak of the Punjab alone - India beyond the Punjab is unknown to the Rig Veda. The banks of the distant Ganga and Jumna are rarely alluded to; the scenes of war and social ceremonies are the banks of the Saraswati and her tributaries. This was the Hindu world when the hymns were composed. *** Swami Vivekanada (1863-1902) was the foremost disciple of Ramakrishna and a world spokesperson for Vedanta. India's first spiritual and cultural ambassador to the West, came to represent the religions of India at the World Parliament of Religions, held at Chicago has said: "The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. They hold that

the Vedas are without beginning and without end. It may sound ludicrous, that a book can be without beginning or end. But by the Vedas no books are meant. They mean the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons at different times.

Just as the law of gravitation acted before its discovery by humanity, and would continue to act if all humanity forgot it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual world. The discoverers of these laws are called Rishis, and we honor them as perfected beings. Now the Vedas teach us that creation is without beginning or end. Science has proved to us that the sum total of cosmic energy is always the same.

They were written, nobody knows at what date, it may be 8,000 years ago, in spite of all modern scholars may say; it may be 9,000 years ago. Not one of these religious speculations is of modern date, but they are as fresh today as they were when they were written..." ..this ancient monotheistic idea did not satisfy the Hindu mind; it did no do far enough....the first question that we find now arising, assuming proportions, is the question about the universe. "Whence did it come?" "How did it come?" "How does it exist?" Various hymns are to be found on this question, struggling forward to assume form, and nowhere do we find it so poetically, so wonderfully expressed as in the following hymn: "Then there was neither aught nor naught, nor air, nor sky, nor anything. What covered all?

Where rested all? Then death was not nor deathlessness, nor change to night and day."

Now first arose desire, the primal seed of mind.

Sages, searching in their heart by wisdom, found the bond Between existence and non-existence."

It is a very peculiar expression; the poet ends by saying that "perhaps He even does not know." (source: Hinduism - By Swami Vivekananda p. 2 -35).

The metaphysical agony, which alone makes man great, bursts forth in the famous words of the Rig Veda. These words of spiritual yearning, metaphysical unease and intellectual skepticism set the tone of India's cultural growth. The seers of the Rg Veda believe, in a truth, a law which governs our existence, which sustains the different levels of our being, an infinite reality, ekam sat, or which all the different deities are but forms. (source: East and West in Religion - By S. Radhakrishnan p. 21-22).

Agni, god of fire, shown riding a goat, in a miniature painting from an 18th century watercolor *** The Vedas are the most ancient scriptures in the library of consciously evolving humanity.

The Vedas are the direct experience and revelations of the rishis of the hoary past. The Vedas are meant for the lovers of eternal Time. The oldest Indian literary documents are the four Vedas; the word means sacred knowledge or lore. These texts include hymns, liturgical instructions, and explanatory theological and philosophical courses. These vast and complex works reflect a long development in philosophical and religious thought.

The Vedas are regarded as the foundation of the Indian Culture and the Rishis of Vedas have been revered throughout the ages in India as having heard the truth and revealed it and thus given perennial wisdom to guide the development of the future.

The Vedas stand in all their might and majesty as the very source and bedrock of Hindu civilization. The Vedas are the inspired utterances of a whole galaxy of realized souls, of spiritual geniuses, of people not merely One of the most dominant ideas of Indian culture has been that of Dharma, and this has been a consequence of the Vedic discovery of the r'ta or the Right. The right of law of this automatic harmony is the r'ta.

The Vedas are the brilliant product of intuitive insight. The original seers who "saw" them were and will ever remain anonymous, for this was not the age of unbridled individualism. Here you have the quintessence of classical Indian philosophy. Thinking with your heart and loving with your mind. The Vedas were the brilliant product of intuitive insight, not of the logical intellect. Known only orally at first, transmitted by word of mouth from master to discipline, later written down. The original seers - 'rishis' who 'saw' them were and will ever remain anonymous, for this was not an age of unbridled individualism.

The chief sacred scriptures of the Hindus, the Vedas, register the intuitions of the perfected souls. They are not so much dogmatic dicta as transcripts from life. They record the spiritual experiences of souls strongly endowed with the sense for reality. They are held to be authoritative on the ground that they express the experiences of the experts in the field of religion. The Vedas bring together different ways in which the religiousminded of that age experienced reality and describe the general principles of religious knowledge and growth. The experiences themselves are of a varied character, so their records are many-sided (visvatomukham) or 'suggestive of many interpretations' (anekarthatam). (source: The Hindu View of Life - By S. Radhakrishnan p. 5-6).

Sir William Jones called the Vedas as the fountain of Indian literature: "From the Vedas are immediately deduced the practical arts of Surgery and Medicine, Music and Dancing, Archery, which comprises the whole art of war, and Architecture, under which the system of mechanical arts is included." (source: Eminent Orientalists: Indian European American - Asian Educational Services. p. 21).

Dr. Nicol Macnicol says, the beginning of 'the brave adventures made so long ago and recorded here, of those who seek to discover the significance of our world and man's life within it...India here set out on a quest which she has never ceased to follow." (source: The Discovery of India - By Jawaharlal Nehru p. 79). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism and Stotra Rathnas.

When the Yajur Veda was presented to Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire (1694-1774) France's greatest writers and philosophers, he expressed his belief that: "the Veda was the most precious gift for which the West had ever been indebted to the East."

The Vedas are said to be anadi (beginningless) and apaurasheya (not thought and taught by men). The Rig Veda says: The Hindu doctrine is that the mentioning of the sage and

the metre and the deity in respect to a Vedic hymn (mantra) does not mean that the sage composed the mantra as a piece of literary composition. The sage merely had it revealed to him in his vision as the result of his purity and meditation.

Professor Max Muller in his book, India: What It can Teach Us says: "In the history of the world, the Vedas fill a gap which no literary work in any other language could fill. I maintain that to everybody who cares for himself, for his ancestors, for his intellectual development, a study of the Vedic literature is indeed indispensable."

Some Vedic hymns paint the exquisite glories of the natural world: the preternatural beauty of predawn light, its rosy fingers holding the iridescent steel-blue sky; some celebrate the welcome cool of evening, the scented breezes of a calm and refreshing night, its basalt dome studded with shimmering pearls and diamonds. Beauty permeates them, a reflection of Truth. The Vedas go much further in outlining the nature of reality than any other religious texts still in use. Other hymns concentrate on different aspects of nature's wonder, very specific in their knowledge of the great cycles that sustain life.

Vedic writings detail a scientific knowledge of the rain cycle that startles with its accuracy. (source: Empire of the Soul: Some Journeys into India - By Paul Williams Robert - p.

312). ' We meditate upon the supreme effulgence of the Divine creative Sun, that he may give impulse to our intelligence.'

- Rig Veda III. 62.10 The Vedic songs represent the most amazing celebration of life that has ever been created.

The joy and wonder in life which was felt by those early and vigorous peoples who sang the Vedas.

The Vedas testify to a strong urge in Man towards unity, a longing to arrive at a conception that is both totally Divine and human. This dynamic process has not yet ceased. No merely naturalistic explanation of the worship of the God as natural powers will do justice to texts or to the sophistication of Vedic culture.

The Lord of the paths shows the way to growth to all creatures, each according to its nature. A Vedic man prays to: 'The One who is the life spark of the water, of wood, of things both moving and inert, who has his dwelling even within the stone, Immortal God, he cares for all mankind, 'He who sees all beings at a glance, both separate and united, may he be our protector.' (source: The Vedic Experience: Mantramanjari (An Anthology of the Vedas for Modern Man) - By Raimundo Panikkar p. 53-123).

The Vedas emphasize that the internal suksmasarira, the finer or subtle body of man, the equivalent of "soul" in modern thought, is of transcendental importance; and that suksmasarira is of the nature of infinite existence and infinite consciousness. In this luminous philosophy, material substance is wholly insignificant. Compare the observations of

Einstein: "We may therefore regard matter as being constituted by the regions of space in which the field is extremely intense...There is no place in this new kind of physics both for the field and matter, for the field is the only reality." (source: India's priceless Heritage - By Nani Palkiwala p. 6-7).

An 18th century manuscript of the Rigveda ("Wisdom of the Verses"), the earliest and most auspicious of the four Vedas.

Watch Scientific verification of Vedic knowledge *** 1. Rig Veda "This homage is to the ancient-born Seers, to the ancient makers of the Path." - Rig Veda X. 14-15.

"Let us bring our minds to rest in The Glory of the Divine Sun! May He inspire our reflections!"

- Rig Veda II. 62. 10).

"You shine, all living things emerge. You disappear, they go to rest. Recognizing our innocence, O golden-haired Sun, arise; let each day be better than the last." Rig Veda (X, 37, 9).

The Rig Veda is the Veda par excellence, the real Veda that traces the earliest growth of religious ideas in India. These hymns were composed between 6,000-1500 BCE. It is in poetical form, has one thousand twenty eight poems or hymns called Samhita. It is so much full of thought that at this early period in history no poet in any other nation could have conceived them. The sublimity, the nobility, the natural justice, the equality, the love and welfare of all humanity as a whole is the theme of the Rig Veda. The Vedic God has no partisan attitude of the jealous vindictive God, who is ever ready to please and help his own people by hurling disease, death and destruction on their enemies in return for sacrifices.

Jawaharlal Nehru wrote: "Rig Veda is the earliest book that humanity possesses. Yet behind the Rig Veda itself lay ages of civilized existence and thought during which had grown all other civilizations..." (source: The Discovery of India - By Jawaharlal Nehru Oxford University Press. 1995. p.

43).

The Vedas are the quintessence of classical Hindu philosophy. Thinking with your heart; loving with your mind. All yoga and meditation aim to attain this goal. Anything else is delusion, or worse. And when the heart sees, it sees the unknowable, nameless, formless, limitless, supreme God. He is called the nonexistent because he is eternal, beyond existence. God manifest is the fabric of creation itself. They are one. The heart that learns to think realizes this truth and merges into the eternal oneness. As William Blake put it, “ If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is, infinite.”

This merging with the Eternal, this inner transformation, this direct experience of Truth – these are the goals of which the Vedic sages speak. They explain the nature of the universe, of life, while admitting that Creation itself is the one unknowable mystery. To the Vedic sages, creation indicated that point before which there was no Creator, the line

between indefinable nothingness and something delineated by attributes and function, at least. Like the moment before the Big Bang Theory. These concepts preoccupy high wisdom, the Truth far removed from mere religion. Recent research and scholarship make it increasingly possible to believe that the Vedic era was the lost civilization whose legacy the Egyptians and the Indians inherited. There must have been one. There are too many similarities between hieroglyphic texts and Vedic ones, these in turn echoed in a somewhat diluted form and a confused fashion by the authors of Babylonian texts and the Old Testament. (source: Empire of the Soul: Some Journeys into India - By Paul Williams Robert - p.

312).

Indian poetic thought at this stage appears as free, candid and honest about the nature of God as that of any modern thinker who would express the doubts and sorrows of his heart without any inhibition. Even in the very early hymns of the Rig Veda, we encounter passages of a rather philosophical nature. These are no longer concerned with singing the praises of the numerous nature deities and reaching some kind of heaven, but with knowledge of a higer reality. There is also a refusal to be bound into any dogma about the supernatural though their ecstatic expressions do acknowledge Him as the Highest Being, the Most High Seer, as can be seen from this beautiful Hymn of creation in the Vedas called the Nasidiya Sukta. The most remarkable and sublime hymn in which the first germ of philosophic speculation with regard to the wonderful mystery of the origin of the world are found: "Nor aught nor naught existed; you bright sky Was not, nor heaven's broad roof outstretched above; What covered all? What sheltered? What concealed?

Was it the waters' fathomless abyss?

There was no light of night, no light of day, The only One breathed breathless in itself, Other than it there nothing since has been.

Darkness there was, and all at first was veiled In gloom profound, an ocean without light;....

Yet the Vedas go further, being philosophy, or really spiritual sciences, rather than myth.

One can almost detect a touch of irony in the last question of this hymn which ends this verse.

Who truly knows, who can honestly say where.

This universe cam from And where it will vanish to at the End? Those godlike wise men who claim they know were born long After the birth of Creation.

Who then could know where our universe really came from?

And whoever knows or does not know where Creation came from, Only one gazing at its vastness from the very roof of the final Heaven "Only such a one could possibly know, But does even He know? " - Rig Veda - 129.6. 7 The philosophical and mystical depth of this hymn is unsurpassed.

Paul William Robert has written: "The Bible begins with the Creation. Before the

Creation, however, there was the Creator, but does even He know what was there before He existed ? Long before such philosophical questions occurred to other historical peoples, Vedism posited the existence of something more ultimate than the one God. Whatever must have created Him. That is presuming the absolute and basic reality. Or is it?

This is mysticism that is simultaneously metalogic and the kind of thing those bardic sages living some twenty-five thousand years ago thought about a great deal, according to Hindu tradition. The Vedas are the very first compositions mankind produced dating back at least twenty thousand years. Most orthodox historians and anthropologists strongly dispute such a view. They confuse writing with civilization and deny meaningful history to any people who did not leave a written record. A rich culture does not necessarily depend on writing, as the Celtic civilization proves. The hymns are the most sophisticated, most profoundly beautiful, and most complete presentations of whatAldous Huxley termed the “perennial philosophy” that is at the core of all religions. In modern academia, of course, there is not supposed to be any “ancient wisdom”.

The Vedas go much further in outlining the nature of reality than any other religious texts still in use. Some Vedic hymns paint the exquisite glories of the natural world: the preternatural beauty of predawn light, its rosy fingers holding the iridescent steel-blue sky; some celebrate the welcome cool of evening the scented breeze of a calm and refreshing night, its basalt dome studded with shimmering pearls and diamonds.Beauty permeates them, a reflection of Truth. The Vedas hold within them enough information to rebuild human civilization from scratch, if necessary. I think someone did believe that might be necessary one day. (source: Empire of the Soul: Some Journeys into India - By Paul Williams Robert p.299 -325).

The Gayatri Mantra (chant), which forms the core of Hindu faith, is actually addressed to Surya, Sun God: " Om bhūr bhuvah svah tat savitur varēnyam bhargō dēvasya dhīmahi dhiyō yō nah pracōdayāt" O splendid and Effulgent Sun, we offer this prayer to thee.

Enlighten this craving mind.

Be our protector.

May the radiance of the divine ruler guide our destiny.

Wise men salute your magnificence with oblations and words of praise."

Lord Rama was also taught, by sage Agastaya, the Adityahridayam, a prayer addressed to the sun god.

"The Sun is the foremost physical manifestation of divine creative power. In the glorious morning the faithful bend towards the giver of life in one single gesture of adoration. " His chariot drawn by prancing horse, Surya, the Sun god rides the sky to a chorus of worshippers.

O splendid and Effulgent sun, May your radiance enlighten this craving mind. (image source: Splendors of the Past: Lost Cities of the Ancient World - National

Geographic Society. p.186-190). *** Battlestar Galactica - The Sky One version of the title sequence for season one featured a Hindu mantra, the Gayatri Mantra, taken from the Rig Veda. In the U.S. , the music was an original instrumental piece by composer Bear McCreary called "Two Funerals" originally written for the episode "Act of Contrition". As of season two, the main title sequences in all territories where the show airs now use the Sky One title sequence, the Gayatri Mantra version written by miniseries composer Richard Gibbs.

Usha, the dawn, is often invoked, and is the subject of some of the most beautiful hymns that are to be found in the lyrical poetry of any ancient nation.

Beautous daughter of the sky!

Hold they ruddy light on high, Grant us wealth and grant us day, Bring us food and morning's ray.

White-robed goddess of the morning sky, Bring us light, let night's deep shadows fly.

"We gaze upon her as she comes The shining daughter of the sky The mighty darkness she uncovers, And light she makes, the pleasant one that we see."

This light, most radiant of lights, has come; this gracious one who illumines all things is born. As night is removed by the rising sun, so is this the birthplace of the dawn....We behold her, daughter of the sky, youthful, robed in white, driving forth the darkness.

Princess of limitless treasure, shine down upon us throughout the day." - Rig Veda I. 113.

Usha! (Dawn) Hail, Beautous daughter of the sky! (image source: The Splendour That Was 'India' - By K T Shah).

Refer to The Vedanta Kesari *** Of the hymns to other deities, the hymns to those to Usha, the Dawn, are especially beautiful. Some of the loveliest nature poetry of this period is dedicated to her, depicted as a young maiden who comes to mankind in the special characteristics of the dawn.

Dawn bring a feeling of hope and refreshment, of entering into the activity of the universe.

The Aryas worshipped Nature. They were fascinated by their natural surroundings. Gods representing the forces of nature are mentioned in the hymns of Rig Veda. Rta was the term used to mean the natural law of the cosmic order and morality. It was the regulator of the whole Universe. Dyaus, sky, Prithvi, earth, Varuna, the sky god and protector of Rta and Indra, Savitri, Mitra and Pushan represented different powers of the Sun such as heat, light and nourishment. Vishnu was the symbol of swift movement while Rudra amd Maruts were the gods of storm and winds. Shiva was the later name given to Rudra. Vayu

and Vata were other gods of winds while Parjanya was the god of rain. There were gods on earth also. Agni was an important deity. Soma was regarded as essential for sacrifice.

Saraswati as river goddess on earth. But the most loved goddess was Usha (Dawn) belonging to both earth and heaven. Some of the most beautiful hymns are addressed to Ushas. (source: Ancient Indian History and Culture - By Chidambara Kulkarni Orient Longman Ltd. 1974. p.43-44).

2. Yajur Veda The Yajur Veda, containing 3,988 verses, is a compilation of mantras and methods for use by priests in performing Vedic rituals and sacrifice.

3. Sama Veda The Sama Veda, a collection of 1,540 verses, was wet to music by the Vedic period for chanting during rituals. The use of music in the r 4. Atharva Veda The Atharva Veda, a unique collection of 5,977 verses was used to satisfy the daily needs of the people. This included verses deemed necessary for success in agriculture, trade, progeny, health, and general welfare. Other verses are designed to assist in procuring medicine and fighting one's enemy. The Sanskrit word Ayurved means medicine. The Ayurvedic system of medicine, based upon the use of herbs for the treatment of disease, has its roots in the Atharva Veda.

Format of the Vedas - Each Vedas is divided into four main sections: (a) Samhitas or mantras (b) Brahmanas, (c) Aranyakas or "forest books" (d) Upanishads. *** Guigualt says: "The Rig Veda is the most sublime conception of the great highways of humanity."

On July 14, 1882 Mons Leon Delbios said in a paper read on the Vedas when Victor Hugo was in the chair, says: "There is a no monument of Greece or Rome more previous than the Rig Veda." When Voltaire was presented with a copy of the Yajurveda he said, "It was the most precious gift for which the West has been for ever indebted to the East." (source: The Soul of India - By Satyavrata R. Patel p. 76-77).

F. Max Muller wrote: "In the history of the world, the Veda fills a gap which no literary work in any other language can fill." (source: India: What can it teach us? - By Max Muller p. 121).

Dr. Jean LeMee born in France in 1931, and studied Sanskrit at Columbia University has written: "Precious stones or durable materials - gold, silver, bronze, marble, onyx or granite - have been used by ancient people in an attempt to immortalize themselves. Not so however the ancient Vedic Aryans. They turned to what may seem the most volatile and insubstantial material of all - the spoken word ...The pyramids have been eroded by the desert wind, the marble broken by earthquakes, and the gold stolen by robbers, while the Veda is recited daily by an unbroken chain of generations, traveling like a great wave through the living substance of mind. .."

"The Rig Veda is a glorious song of praise to the Gods, the cosmic powers at work in

Nature and in Man. Its hymns record the struggles, the battles, and victories, the wonder, the fears, the hopes, and the wisdom of the Ancient Path Makers.

Glory be to Them!" (source: Hymns from the Rig Veda - By Jean LeMee - Illustrator Ingbert Gruttner ISBN: 0394493540 and ASIN 0224011812).

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer: What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like the light of a higher and purer luminary, which describes a loftier course through purer stratum. It rises on me like the full moon after the stars have come out, wading through some far stratum in the sky."

"Whenever I have read any part of the Vedas, I have felt that some unearthly and unknown light illuminated me. In the great teaching of the Vedas, there is no touch of sectarianism. It is of all ages, climes and nationalities and is the royal road for the attainment of the Great Knowledge. When I am at it, I feel that I am under the spangled heavens of a summer night." He also admitted that, "The religion and philosophy of the Hebrews are those of a wilder and ruder tribe, wanting the civility and intellectual refinements and subtlety of Vedic culture." Thoreau's reading of literature on India and the Vedas was extensive: he took them seriously. (source: The Secret Teachings of the Vedas. The Eastern Answers to the Mysteries of Life - By Stephen Knapp volume one. pg- 22) Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947), British mathematician, logician and philosopher best known for his work in mathematical logic and who, in collaboration with Bertrand Russell, authored the landmark three-volume Principia Mathematica, (1910, 1912, 1913). He reported to have remarked: "Vedanta is the most impressive metaphysics the human mind has conceived." (source: Huston Smith: Essays on World Religion. edited by M. Darrrol Bryant. Paragon House 1992 p. 135).

J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) Scientist, philosopher, bohemian, and radical. A theoretical physicist and the Supervising Scientist Manhattan Project, the developer of the atomic bomb said: "Access to the Vedas is the greatest privilege this century may claim over all previous centuries.

Modern man is a diminished man. Despite the superficial excitements of our high-tech world, life for most has become a flat, stale, and joyless thing. It is joyless because we have forgotten what life is supposed to be.

Dr. Karan Singh observes: "The Vedas stand in all their might and majesty as the very source and bedrock of Hindu civilization. The Vedas are the inspired utterances of a whole galaxy of realized souls, of spiritual geniuses, of people not merely well versed intellectually but with spiritual enlightenment. " (source: Essays on Hinduism - By Karan Singh p. 50. For more on nature refer to chapter on Nature Worship).

Prof. Bloomfield Professor of Sanskrit and Comparative Philology has remarked: "The Vedas represent the pinnacle of the oldest literature of India. It is the ancient most written document of Indo-European language. This may be termed the principle source of religious thought."

Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (1861 – 1946) was a great Indian nationalist and a true propounder of Hindu culture and often called as the Teacher of the Nation, has said: "The Vedas are the oldest scriptures in the world. The Vedas accept the existence of God. They say that the creator of this animate and inanimate world is God. The sun, moon, heavens and earth have been created by God only." (source: The Essence of the Vedas - By Dr. Mahendra Mittal p. 12).

A P J (Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul) Kalam ( 1931 - ) Noted Scientist and President of India. India who reads the Bhagavad Gita and the Koran. He said, India should seek to become like the perfect nation defined in Thirukkural, the ancient Tamil discourse. He described the Veda as, "They are the oldest classics and the most precious treasures of India. The soul of Bharatiya sanskriti dwells in the Vedas. The entire world admits the importance of the Vedas." (source: Vedas, soul of India - By Dina Nath Mishra - dailypioneer.com). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism and Stotra Rathnas. Refer to Battlestar Galactica wikipedia.org.

Refer to Rig Veda among 38 new heritage items in UNESCO culture list - Thirty manuscripts of the ancient Hindu text Rig Veda dating from 1800 to 1500 BC are among 38 new items that have been added to the United Nations heritage list to help preserve them for posterity.

To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati. Refer to The Vedanta Kesari Top of Page Upanishads Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), German philosopher and writer, wrote about the Upanishads: "From every sentence (of the Upanishads) deep, original and sublime thoughts arise, and the whole is pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit...."In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. They are destined sooner or later to become the faith of the people.�

He regarded them: " It has been the solace of my life -- it will be the solace of my death."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) an author, essayist, lecturer, philosopher, Unitarian minister who lectured on theology at Harvard University wrote: "They haunt me. In them I have found eternal compensation, unfathomable power, unbroken peace."

A. E. George Russell (1867 -1935) the Irish poet, essayist, painter, Nationalist leader, mystic wrote: "The Upanishads contain such godlike fullness of wisdom on all things that I feel the

authors must have looked with calm remembrance back through a thousand passionate lives, full of feverish strife for and with shadows, ere they could have written with such certainty of things which the soul feels to be sure."

Paul Deussen (1845-1919) a direct disciple of Arthur Schopenhauer, preferred to be called in Sanskrit, Deva-Sena was a scholar of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, has observed: "Whatever may be the discoveries of the scientific mind, none can dispute the eternal truths propounded by the Upanishads." " the Upanishads have tackled every fundamental problem of life. They have given us an intimate account of reality." "On the tree of wisdom there is no fairer flower than the Upanishads, and no finer fruit than the Vedanta philosophy, Huston Smith (1919 - ) born in China to Methodist missionaries, a philosopher, most eloquent writer, world-famous religion scholar who practices Hatha Yoga.

"When I read the Upanishads, I found a profundity of world view that made my Christianity seem like third grade."

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) was among India's most fervent nationalists and he paid tribute to the remarkable Isha Upanishad. “If all the Upanishads and all the other scriptures happened all of a sudden to be reduced to ashes, and if only the first verse in the Ishopanishad were left in the memory of the Hindus, Hinduism would live forever.�

"The Lord is enshrined in the hearts of all The Lord is the supreme Reality Rejoice in him through renunication.

Covet nothing. All belongs to the Lord." - Isha Upanishad 1 -1 .

(For more refer to chapter on and Quotes). *** India's soul-offering is the perennial light of the Upanishads. Upanishads are the divine revelations received by ancient seers. They represent the essence of the Vedas, the greatest truths ever known to mankind. The Upanishads are humanity's most profound philosophical inquiry and the first perceptions of the unity of all, the oneness of man and God. The Upanishads are also called the Vedanta. The literal meaning of Vedanta is 'the end of the Vedas.' They were composed around 700 BCE. The basic teaching of the Upanishads is that the essence of all beings - from a blade of grass to the perfect human being - and all things is the Divine Spirit, called Brahman.

Free from theology and dogma, the Upanishads remain the primary source of inspiration and guidance for millions of Hindus and non-Hindus alike. They have influenced many Western thinkers, including von Gothe, Arthur Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas and the teachings based on them is called Vedanta. The Upanishads focus on philosophical questions such as the purpose of life, origin of the universe, concepts of time, space and matter, as well as concepts of atman, Brahman, maya, immortality, rebirth, karma, and the world.

The Upanishads offer to the world at large the supreme achievement of the awakened and illumined Hindu life. The Vedas represent the cow. The Upanishads represent milk. We need the cow to give us milk, and we need milk to nourish us.

According to our Indian tradition, there were once 1,180 Upanishads. Of the 108

Upanishads that have been preserved, the following thirteen are generally considered to be the principal Upanishads: The Isa, Katha, Kena, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandhukya, Chandogya, Brhadaranyaka, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Svetasvatara, Kaivalya and Maitri.

The Upanishads are known as the Vedanta, both because chronologically they come at the end of the Vedas and also because philosophically they represent the noblest upshot, the highest watermark of the Vedic civilization and genius. One meaning of the word Upanishad is to sit nearby. In the Indian tradition, the guru would be seated under a tree, near a river or lake, and one or more disciples would cluster around him to learnt he wisdom. They are the dialogues between guru and sisya.

The Upanishads are the remarkable compositions, which contain sublime and philosophical speculations concerning the Universal Soul, the All-pervading Breath. The Upanishads contain the quintessence of Brahmavidya and declare that Brahman is in its nature Satchitananda and is also the material cause (Upadana Karana) and the efficient cause (Nimitta Karana) of the universe. The Upanishads declare that Karmas give us only perishable fruits and that jnana (knowledge) alone can lead to immortality.

We begin with the Doctrine of a Universal Soul, an all-pervading Breath which is the keystone of the philosophy and thought of the Upanishads. This idea is somewhat different from monotheism as it has been generally understood in later days. For monotheism generally recognizes a God and Creator as distinct from the created beings; but the monotheism of the Upanishads, which has been the monotheism of the Hindu religion ever since, recognizes God as the Universal Being: - all things else have emanated from him, are a part of Him, and will mingle in him, and have no separate existence. This is the lesson which Yajnavalkya imparted to his esteemed wife Maitreyi.

This too is the great idea which is taught in the Upanishads in a hundred similies and stories and beautiful legends, which impart to the Upanishads their value in the literature of the world.

"All this is Brahman (the Universal Being). Let a man meditate on the visible world as beginning, ending, and breathing in the Brahman."

"He is my self within the heart, smaller than a corn of rice, smaller than a corn of barley, smaller than a mustard seed, smaller than a canary seed or the kernel of a canary seed. He also is my self within the heart, greater than the earth, greater than the sky, greater than heaven, greater than all these worlds."

Such is the sublime language in which the ancient Hindus expressed their sublime conception of the minute but all-pervading and Universal Being whom they called Brahman or God. Who is not struck by this manly and fervent effort made by the Hindu nation, three thousand years ago, to know the unknown Maker, to comprehend the incomprehensible God. And the joy of him who has comprehended, however, feebly, the incomprehensible God, has been well described: "He who beholds all beings in the Self, and Self in all beings, he never turns away from it." (source: The Early Hindu Civilization - By Romesh Chunder Dutt p. 17-177).

Etymologically the word Upanishad suggests “sitting down near�: that is, at the feet of an illumined teacher in an intimate session of spiritual instruction, as aspirants still do in India today. The sages who gave them to us did not care to leave their names; the truths they set down were eternal, and the identity of those who arranged the words irrelevant.

While the Vedas look outward in reverence and awe of the phenomenal world, the Upanishads look inward, finding the powers of nature only an expression of the more awe-inspiring powers of human consciousness.

The Upanishads tell us that there is a Reality underlying life which rituals cannot reach, next to which the things we see and touch in everyday life are shadows. They teach that this Reality is the essence of every created thing, and the same Reality is our real Self so that each of us is one with the power that created and sustains the universe. The Upanishads are not philosophy but are darshanas, “something seen” and therefore to be realized.

This fervent desire to know is the motivation behind all science, so we should not be surprised to find in Vedic India the beginnings of a potent scientific tradition. By the common era, it would be in full flower…But the roots of this scientific spirit are in the Vedas. The Vedic hymns are steeped in the conviction of rita, an order that pervades creation and is reflected in each part – a oneness to which all diversity can be referred.

From this conviction follows a highly sophisticated notion: a law of nature must apply uniformly and universally. The forest civilization of the Upanishads took a turn unparalleled in the history of science. It focused on the medium of knowing: the mind.

The Self is the Brahman – is the central discovery of the Upanishads. Its most famous formulation is one of the mahavakyas or “great formulae”: Tat tvam asi, “You are That”. (source: The Upanishads: Translated for the Modern Reader - By Eknath Easwaran p. 1 25).

The Chandogya Upanishad makes a bold statement, to some extent more daring and at the same time convincing: Tat twam asi - That Thou art.

What does it mean? It means that you are none other than God. Who else is God, if not you? *** In the words of the great German philosopher and writer, Arthur Schopenhauer (17881860): "In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life; and it will be the solace of my death. They are the product of the highest wisdom."

"As flowing rivers disappear into the sea, losing their name and form, thus a wise man, freed from name and form, goes to the divine person who is beyond all." -Mundaka Upanishad iii 2.

Upanishads are the zenith of Hinduism cultural development. The Upanishads are crammed with thoughts that wander through eternity. Their message is that there is far more to life than success, and far more to success than money; and there can be no higher destiny for man than to be engaged in endless seeking after endless truth. They give the most memorable answers to the three immemorial questions posed by T. S. Eliot: "Where is the life we have lost in living" Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? ***

The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (I.3.28) offers to humanity an unparalleled prayer: "From the unreal lead me to the Real; From darkness lead to Light, From death lead me to Immortality."

One of the lessons of the Upanishads is that you must regard "the universe as a thought in the mind of the Creator, thereby reducing all discussions of material creation to futility."

The Upanishads teach that both space and time are endless or infinite. Modern science completely agrees. (source: India's Priceless Heritage - By Nani Palkhivala published by Bharati Vidya Bhavan 1980 p. 6-27).

The reality of the atomic physicist, like the reality of the Eastern mystic, transcends the narrow framework of opposite and contradictory concepts. The Upanishads say: "It moves, it moves not, It is far, and it is near, It is within all this, And it is outside of all this.

The words below of Oppenheimer seem to echo the words of the Upanishads regarding physical matter: J. R. Oppenheimer (1904-1967) Chairman of the Los Alamos Project, sadly confessed: "If we ask, for instance, whether the position of the electron remains the same, we must say 'no'; if we ask whether the electron's position changes with time, we must say 'no'; if we ask whether the electron is at rest, we must say 'no'; if we ask whether it is in motion, we must say 'no.'

In his autobiography, Einstein expressed his sense of shock when he first came in contact with the reality of atomic physics: "All my attempts to adopt the theoretical foundation of physics to this (new type of) knowledge failed completely. It was as if the ground had been pulled out from under one with no firm foundation to be seen anywhere, upon which one could have built."

The Rishis had repeatedly emphasized that the ultimate reality lies beyond the realms of the senses and the grey matter beneath our skulls. Hark again to the Upanishads: "There the eye goes not Speech goes not, nor the mind.

We know not, we understand not, How would one teach it?" (source: India's Priceless Heritage - By Nani Palkhivala published by Bharati Vidya Bhavan 1980. p.14-15).

Of all the productions of the Epic age, however, the Upanishads are the most striking.

They represent the belief of the learned and the wise, and they embody the philosophy and spiritual knowledge of the age. The Upanishads elucidate the doctrine of the Universal Soul. In India the Upanishads are classed as works which impart True knowledge, while the Brahmanas regulate Observances. This distinction has endured in India in all times.

The cardinal doctrine of the Upanishads are the doctrine of Transmigration of the Souls and of the Universal Soul. We have seen both these ideas in a hazy form in the hymns of the Rig Veda, in the Upanishads we find them more fully developed. All things change,

all things cast off their old form and assume new shapes. The Soul within living beings thus changes its outward form, enters into new shapes, until it is merged with the Universal Soul called by the Vedic name of Brahma. This cardinal principle of the Upanishads is best explained in the language of the Upanishads: "As a goldsmith, taking a piece of gold, turns it into another newer and more beautiful shape, so does the Soul, after having thrown off this body, and dispelled all ignorance, make unto himself another newer and more beautiful shape....

"So much for the man who desires, But for the man who does not desire, who not desiring, free from desires, satisfied in his desires, desires the Soul only, his spirit does not depart elsewhere; being Brahma, he goes to Brahma." (Brihadaranyaka, iv. 4).

This is true philosophical Hinduism as it was more than three thousand years ago, and as it is now. The doctrine is that all universe and all being proceed from Brahman, live in Him, are a part of Him, and end in Him. Each individual Soul has its beginning in the Universal Soul, and passes through a number of outward shapes or incarnations according to its doings in the world, and in the end merge in Him. The great idea of a true Unity comprehending all changing phenomena, is conceived and explained in the Hindu doctrine of Transmigration of Soul and of a Universal Soul. (source: The Civilization of India - By Romesh C. Dutt p. 23 - 24). Refer to and Stotra Rathnas. Refer to The Vedanta Kesari

Handwritten page of Sanskrit text from the Chandogya Upanishad. Chandogya is one of the oldest and best known for its equation of the atman (soul) within, with the Brahman (absolute spirit) without.

Watch Scientific verification of Vedic knowledge To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati.

Refer to The Vedanta Kesari *** Dama, Dana and Daya (i.e DA, DA, DA).

In our daily life Indian culture has emphasized three cardinal virtues. There is a parable in the Brihadaranyka Upanishad 5.2 Prajapati, the ancestor of man, blessed his creation with a code of conduct consisting of three basic principles. viz. Dama, Dana and Daya i.e. restraint, charity and compassion. These are the basic qualities for which man is revered and respected in India. (source: Cultural Heritage of Ancient India - By Sachindra Kumar Maity p. 14).

"Like corn decays the mortal," said the Katha Upanishad, "like corn is he born again." It is one of the fundamental tenets of Hinduism that the soul, upon the death of one body, moves to another body or form carrying with it all the impressions or deeds that it has accumulated in its previous body. It is a simple cause and effect process between the matter and the spirit, the soul. All living beings are subject to this process of transmigration since they began life.

Professor F. W. Thomas in The Legacy of India says: "What gives to the Upanishads their unique quality and unfailing human appeal is an earnest sincerity of tone, as of friends conferring upon matters of deep concern."

And C. Rajagopalachari (1878-1972) was a scholar, a statesman, and a linguist. A

contemporary of Mohandas Gandhi, he was also free India’s first Governor General, thus eloquently speaks of them: "The spacious imagination, the majestic sweep of thought, and the almost reckless spirit of exploration with which, urged by the compelling thirst for truth, the Upanishad teachers and pupils dig into the "open secret" of the universe, make this most ancient of the world's holy books still the most modern and most satisfying." (source: The Discovery of India - By Jawaharlal Nehru Oxford University Press. 1995 p.

90).

The main teachings of the Upanishads are of a sublime character. Max Muller wrote: "How entirely does the Upanishads breathe throughout the holy spirit of the Vedas! How is every one who has become familiar with that incomparable book stirred by that spirit to the very depth of his soul! Vedanta is the most sublime of all philosophies and the most comforting of all religions."

Paul Deussen (1845-1919) preferred to be called in Sanskrit, Deva-Sena was a scholar of the Asiatic Society of Bengal says: "On the tree of Indian wisdom there is no fairer flower than the Upanishads and no finer fruit than the Vedanta philosophy."

In his Philosophy of the Upanishads, Deussen claims for its fundamental thought "an inestimable value for the whole race of mankind." It is in "marvelous agreement with the philosophy founded by Kant, and adopted and perfected by his great successor, Schopenhauer," differing from it, where it does differ, only to excel. (source: Hindu Superiority - By Har Bilas Sarda p. 298-299).

Victor Cousin (1792-1867) French Philosopher, says: "The history of Indian philosophy is the abridged history of the philosophy of the world." (source: Hindu Culture and The Modern Age - By Dewan Bahadur K.S. Ramaswami Shastri - Annamalai University 1956 p.214-215).

Lord Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859) in comparing the ancient Greeks with the ancient Hindus, says: "Their (Hindus) general learning was more considerable; and in the knowledge of the being and nature of God, they were already in possession of a light which was but faintly perceived even by the loftiest intellects in the best days of Athens." (source: Hindu Superiority - By Har Bilas Sarda p. 299).

Top of Page The Bhagavad Gita "I am the Self seated in the heart of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the very end of all beings".

- Lord Krishna (Bhagawad Gita, sloka 20, Chapter 10). *** Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer. He wrote: "In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial." "One sentence of the Gita, is worth the State of Massachusetts many times over" Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) an author, essayist, lecturer, philosopher, Unitarian minister who lectured on theology at Harvard University. He wrote: "Iowed a magnificent

day to the Bhagavad-Gita. It was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us."

Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) A theoretical physicist and the Supervising Scientist for the Manhattan Project, the developer of the atomic bomb.Oppenheimer acquired a deeper knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita in 1933 when, as a young professor of physics, he studied Sanskrit with Professor Arthur W Ryder (1877-1938) at Berkeley.

The Gita, he wrote was “very easy and quite marvelous”. He called the Gita “the most beautiful philosophical song existing in any known tongue.”

Oppenheimer who finally brought the Gita into the popular vocabulary of the scientists in the West by citing this quote from the Bhagavad Gita.

"If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one " and "Now I am become. Death, the destroyer of worlds." (July 16, 1945, inscription at first nuclear test site Trinity, New Mexico).

Carl Sagan famous astro-physicist was awed by the revelation in the Gita that the creation and destruction, an essential part of the cosmic evolution, was actually postulated in a more realistic vast time scale. (source: Science and the Gita - By Dr. Alok K. Bohara).

Lord Krishna playing the flute adorns a mural at Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, Kerala.

The notes of Krishna's flute drifting through the woods are the call of the Divine. (image source: National Geographic - January 2008). *** Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) most original philosopher of modern India observed: "The Bhagavad-Gita is a true scripture of the human race a living creation rather than a book, with a new message for every age and a new meaning for every civilization." He wrote in Essays on the Gita, "The Gita is the greatest gospel of spiritual works ever yet given to the race." "Such then is the divine Teacher of the Gita, the eternal Avatar, the Divine who has descended into human consciousness, the Lord seated within the heart of all beings, He who guides from behind the veil all our thoughts and action."

Lokmanya Tilak (1856-1920) freedom fighter, great Sanskrit scholar and astronomer and author of Geeta Rahasya says: "It gives peace to afflicted souls, it makes us masters of spiritual wisdom."

Warren Hastings (1754-1826), was the first governor general of British India wrote: "The Bhagavad Gita is the gain of humanity - a performance of great originality, of a sublimity of conception, reasoning and diction almost unequalled."

Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925) Austrian-born scientist, editor, and founder of anthroposophy, wrote: "In order to approach a creation as sublime as the Bhagavad-Gita with full understanding it is necessary to attune our soul to it."

Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1854-1930) in his History of Sanskrit Literature remarks: "The beauty and the power of the language in which this doctrine - that the zealous performance of duty is a man's most important task, to whatever caste he may belong - is inculcated, is unsurpassed in any other work of Indian literature."

Lord Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859) says: "The Bhagawat Gita deserves high praise for the skill with which it is adapted to the general Epic, and the tenderness and

elegance of the narrative by means of which it is introduced."

Mrs. Manning wrote: "Bhagwat Gita is one of the most remarkable compositions in the Sanskrit language."

Count Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949) was a Belgian writer of poetry and a wide variety of essays. He won the 1911 Nobel Prize for literature. In his book The Great Secret calls The Bhagavad Gita "a magnificent flower of Hindu mysticism."

Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888) writer, philosopher, schoolteacher, visionary. On May 10, 17, and 19' 1846, he wrote in his journal: "I read more of the Bhagavad Gita and felt how surpassingly fine were the sentiments."

"Best of books - containing a wisdom blander and far more sane than that of the Hebrews, whether in the mind of Moses or of Him of Nazareth. Were I a preacher, I would venture sometimes to take from its texts the motto and moral of my discourse. It would be healthful and invigorating to breathe some of this mountain air into the lungs of Christendom."

Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767- 1835) Prussian minister of education, a brilliant linguist and the founder of the science of general linguistics. He said: "The most beautiful, perhaps the only true philosophical song existing in any known tongue ....perhaps the deepest and loftiest thing the world has to show."

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) the English novelist and essayist wrote: "The Bhagavad-Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind.

The Gita is one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the spiritual thoughts ever to have been made."

Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888) writer, philosopher, schoolteacher, visionary. He wrote: "I read more of the Bhagavad Gita and felt how surpassingly fine were the sentiments.

These, or selections from this book should be included in a Bible for Mankind. I think them superior to any of the other Oriental scriptures, the best of all reading for wise men."

"Best of books - containing a wisdom blander and far more sane than that of the Hebrews, whether in the mind of Moses or of Him of Nazareth. Were I a preacher, I would venture sometimes to take from its texts the motto and moral of my discourse. It would be healthful and invigorating to breathe some of this mountain air into the lungs of Christendom."

(For more refer to chapter on and Quotes and GlimpsesX).

Dr. Alok K. Bohara, professor of economics at University of New Mexico has remarked: "Inspired by the Bhagavad Gita and encouraged by the scientific evidence behind the power of meditation within the controlled environment, Dr. David J. Haglin has initiated a project in India involving mass meditation. He hopes to change group behavior to promote peace through such concentrated meditative contemplation. The power of intention through contemplation to alter personal disposition is amply articulated in the Gita as well, and scientists have just begun to scratch its surface. Interestingly, many Hindu scriptures speak of highly accomplished Rishis as having power to calm the other beings around them. But, there is much to learn about the relationship between the mind and matter. Nevertheless, efforts are underway to make good use of such potentiality." (source: Science and the Gita - By Dr. Alok K. Bohara). Listen to The Bhagavad Gita podcast - By Michael Scherer - americanphonic.com. Refer to Vrindanet - Poland

*** The Gita opens magnificently: the two armies arrayed, ready to do battle, on the ancestral field of Kuru; pennons flapping in the breeze and horses pawing the ground impatiently.

As the conch shell signal the beginning of the battle, and as the armies are about to hurl themselves upon each other, Arjuna has doubts about the bloody deeds he is on the verge of perpetrating - the slaying of his kinsman, teachers, friends - and he voices his doubts to his charioteer, none other than the Lord Krsna himself. Krsna (Vishnu) then tells Arjuna why he must take part in the upcoming battle, why he has in reality, no alternative but to do so (his dharma, his duty as a Kshatriya), Krsna then preceeds to expound the unique philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita, including the essence of practical morality. (source: Traditional India - edited by O. L. Chavarria-Aguilar Prentice Hall Place of Publication 1964. chapter on Practical Morality - By Franklin Edgertonp. 69).

Lord Krsna expounds the unique philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita.

The Gita is a diamond among scriptures.

The Bhagavad Gita has influenced great Americans from Thoreau to Oppenheimer. Its message of letting go of the fruits of one’s actions is just as relevant today as it was when it was first written more than two millennia ago.

Watch Lost / Submerged city of Dwaraka – The Learning Channel video Watch Maha Vishnu Das of ISKCON - lecture on The Bhagavad Gita. Watch Scientific verification of Vedic knowledge. Refer to jalebimusic.com. To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati. Listen to The Bhagavad Gita podcast - By Michael Scherer - americanphonic.com and The Bhagavad Gita – The essence of all Scriptures. Refer to Science and the Gita - By Dr. Alok K. Bohara and Vrindanet - Poland *** The Bhagavad Gita embodies a universal ideal of spiritual warriorship, teaching that freedom lies not in renunciation or retreat, but in disciplined action performed with selfknowledge and detachment.

Before the final battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna had doubts whether it is right to fight and kill men who are his relations and his old friends; above all is war justifiable? Lord Krishna, after failing to convince him that it is the duty of a warrior to fight in a righteous war, reveals himself to Arjuna and answers his questions on the nature of the universe, the way to God and the meaning of duty. This magnificent dialogue between man (Arjuna) and creator (Krishna) forms the Bhagvad Gita, in which the Hindu doctrine is fully explained.

(Note: Lord Krishna was born at midnight on Friday July 27, 3112 BCE. This date and time has been calculated by astronomers on the basis of the planetary positions on that day recorded by Sage Vyasa. Lord Krishna passed away on 3102 BC, start of Kail Yuga.

The Bhagavad Gita was compiled around 500 BCE. (source: Hinduism TimeLine - By Madan M. Mathrani and The Hindu Mind - By Bansi

Pandit). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism A God of War? The Gita does not solve the problem of war: rather it thrusts us right into the heart of the problem of war, any struggle, and shows us by means of one example how easily in actual life we can be drawn into tricky situations and conflicts of conscience the likes of which hardly arise for the ascetics in forests and caves. Lord Krishna, in the Gita is not addressing a sannyasin (a monk; one who has completely renounced worldly life), but a member of the warrior caste who still finds himself right in the midst of life.

There are no cheap attempts at painting black and white in the Gita; no heroes in the service of the good cause and bad guys in the service of the devil and the ending a triumphant victory of good over evil. A certain dualistic pattern is evident in Krishna's pronouncements, the kind we find in almost all religions; the struggle of light against darkness, against asuric (demonic) forces. He says himself that he manifests himself a new in every age "whenever there is a decline of dharma....for the protection of the good...for the destruction of the wicked.." (IV. 6 -8). Good and bad are both aspects of the one divine reality. Good and evil are relative. The world is not neatly divided here in two halves. It is shown in all its ambiguity in its condition as maya, where all good contain a little evil and all darkness a little light. (source: Vedanta: Heart of Hinduism - By Hans Torwesten p.78 - 82). Refer to Burning of Bhagavad Gita – by Christians in India - By Prof. C I Isaac In his famous Essays on the Gita, Sri Aurobindo summed up the whole problem in these words: We will use only soul-force and never destroy by war or any even defensive employment of physical violence ? Good, though until soul-force is effective, the Asuric force in men and nations tramples down, breaks, slaughters, burns, pollutes, as we see it doing today, but then at its ease and unhindered, and you have perhaps caused as much destruction of life by your abstinence as others by resort to violence. Strength founded on the Truth and the dharmic use of force are thus the Gita’s answer to pacifism and non-violence. Rooted in the ancient Indian genius, this third way can only be practised by those who have risen above egoism, above asuric ambition or greed. The Gita certainly does not advocate war ; what it advocates is the active and selfless defence of dharma. If sincerely followed, its teaching could have altered the course of human history. It can yet alter the course of Indian history."

The Gita is, in Sri Aurobindo’s words, “our chief national heritage, our hope for the future." (source: The Gita in Today’s World - by Michel Danino - bharatvani.org). Also refer to Gita Supersite and Stotra Rathnas.

Dr. Fritjof Capra (1939- ) the famous theoretical high-energy physicist and author of The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism writes: "One of those epics, the Maha Bharatha, contains India's favorite religious text, the beautiful spiritual poem of the Bhagavadh Geetha. The Geetha, as it is commonly called, is a dialogue between the god Krishna and the warrior Arjuna who is in great despair, being forced to combat his own kinsmen in the great family war which forms the main story of the Mahabharata. Krishna, as Arjuna's charioteer, drives the chariot right between the two armies and in this dramatic settling of the battlefield, he starts to reveal to Arjuna

the most profound truths of Hinduism. As the god speaks the realistic background of the war between the two families soon fades away and it becomes clear that the battle of Arjuna is the spiritual battle of man, and the battle of the warrior in search of enlightenment. Krishna himself advises Arjuna: Arjuna was confused by noble thoughts before the war. But fortunately Lord Krishna labored through 18 long chapters of discourse in Bhagvad Gita to clear Arjuna's confusion and to help him take a decision. Arjuna finally decided to wage the war. But what today's intellectuals have failed to fathom is that only wars waged out of ambition, like Emperor Ashoka did, are wrong. Men of wisdom have regarded war as sometimes essential to bring peace. What is wrong is war of hate. Kill therefore with the sword of wisdom the doubts born of the ignorance that lies in thy heart. Be one in self-harmony, in Yoga and arise, great warrior, arise.

The basis of Krishna's spiritual instruction, as of all Hinduism is the idea that the multitude of things and events around us are but different manifestations of the same ultimate reality. This reality, called Brahman, is the unifying concept that gives Hinduism its essentially monistic character in spite of the worship of numerous gods and goddesses. " (source: Hindu Destiny in Nostradamus - By G.S. Hiranyappa. cited in Chapter on Hinduism - By Fritjof Capra p. 171). For more on Fritjof Capra refer to Quotes251-270) Non-violence is the ideal for the individual, but society needs protection and cannot remain non-violent in the face of aggression. The Gita mentions repeatedly that ahimsa, or non-violence, is the highest virtue.

The Bhagavad Gita forms a part of the great epic, the Mahabharata. It is the song of the Supreme God and is considered a sacred text of religion. Gita is said to be the most beautiful philosophical song in any language.The contents of the text are brought out in the form of a dialogue between Krsna, and Arjuna, a warrior prince of the Kuru dynasty.

The situation in which both are placed in a battlefield where in Arjuna has come to fight, by force of circumstances, his own cousins, nephews, elders of the family, teachers and friends. Metaphorically, the battle and battlefield is life itself. For in life we are constantly engaged in a struggle both within and without between the forces of good and evil.

The Bhagavad Gita is both supremely realistic and extremely idealistic, certainly the most acute, penetrating depiction of human nature and true morality, however remote it may seem from our own. Lord Krishna symbolizes the principle of Divine Incarnation (avatar), the supreme spirit become flesh, pouring into the world during the evil phases of the cosmic cycle in order to check evil - but in a spirit of complete detachment and indifference. The supreme thought of the Gita is concerned with a tolerance: "Whatsoever devotee seeks to worship whatsoever divine form (rupa) with fervent faith, I, verily, make that faith of his unwavering."

Dharma and Non-Attachment: The first answer given to Arjuna is that he must full fill his Dharma, that is the basic obligation of his state in life. Only in this way can his salvation be achieved. He is a warrior. To abandon the field is to betray his fundamental duty. Yet if Dharma is to be fulfilled, it must be done with total self-detachment. There must be no seeking after success in life, for the fruit of action (karma phala). Action are to be done, because they are correct, because they are required by Dharma, not for personal gain.

Lord Krishna’s views on the immortality of the soul were compiled in one of India’s

holiest books of scriptures, the Bhagwad Gita.

One reason that the Gita is a source of inspiration is because it presents to its readers the concept of God as personal (Isvara), and this is the most meaningful concept of God. A personal God is a being who knows every sorrow and is a witness of all our grief: "I am time never ending. I am the creator who sees all."Ishavara, the personal God, accepts us as we are and purifies us: " Though a man be soiled with the sins of a lifetime, let him but love me, rightly resolved, in utter devotion. I see no sinner. That man is holy. He shall not perish."

The Awesome Majesty of God In Chapter 11, perhaps the most famous in the Gita, Lord Krishna appears again before Arjuna in his full and this time awe-inspiring majesty. To enable him to see his far-flung powers he lends Arjuna the Celestial Eye. What follows is the sheer endless profusion of images of the mysterium tremendum et fascinosum, causing the amazed and frightened Arjuna's hair to stand on end.

"If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst forth at once in the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One." "I am mighty world-destroying Time, now engaged here in slaying these men. even without you, all these warriors standing arrayed in the opposing armies shall not live."

- Bhagavad Gita chapter XI. 12- 32).

Lord Krishna appears again before Arjuna in his full and this time awe-inspiring majesty.

The Bhagavad Gita, a world beloved, timeless classic was treasured by American writers from Emerson to T S Eliot.

Watch Lost / Submerged city of Dwaraka – The Learning Channel video. Refer to Bhaja Govindam - kamakoti.org and The Bhagavad Gita – The essence of all Scriptures. Listen to The Bhagavad Gita podcast - By Michael Scherer - americanphonic.com. Refer to Science and the Gita - By Dr. Alok K. Bohara and Vrindanet - Poland *** The Bhagavad Gita is the greatest testament of the Eternal Religion (Sanatana Dharma), the name by which the Hindus call their spiritual tradition. In it, spiritual wisdom finds its most profound, catholic, clear and modern expression. Gita means a song, and Bhagavad Gita means the divine song. The truth of scripture or of science does not depend on historical facts. The Gita is a sermon on the battlefield. It was delivered by Lord Krishna, the Divine Teacher, to Arjuna, his disciple, on the eve of a great battle between two sets of opposing cousins in which were engaged most of the princes and noblemen of India of the time. Krishna's sermon epitomizes the wisdom of Sanatana Dharma. It is a marvel because such an excellent work on religion and ethics has not been written since, nor is it likely to be written again.

The Bhagavad Gita has been read daily and recited by millions in India over centuries and across its vast expanse. It has been the source of inspiration to individuals, to seekers of enlightenment and peace and also to leaders of great social and political movements.

Gandhi had turned to the Gita for light and guidance in times of crisis just as a child in trouble turns to its mother for comfort and reassurance. Gita has inspired many thoughtful men of letters and theologians of the West; several influential and liberal movements like Christian Science and New England Transcendentalism owe their origin to it. The source

of Emerson's inspiration was the Gita. Carlyle presented him with a copy of the Gita, and this little book was responsible for the Concord Movement. "All the broad movements in America," said Swami Vivekanada, "in one way or the other are indebted to the Concord Party."

The Gita is a diamond among scriptures. Invocatory poems praise it as the essence of all scriptures. Krishna declares that God dwelling in the heart of all beings moves them to action. The Gita proclaims that there are many ways (yogas) of reaching the spiritual goal of life and that one should never disturb the faith of others whose understanding is poor.

All the different ways of knowing God have been classified into four broad paths; namely 1. Jnana yoga - the way of wisdom, 2. bhakti yoga, the way of love of God 3. karma yoga, the way of selfless action 4. dhyana yoga, the way of meditation. (source: The Bhagavad Gita: A Scripture for the Future - By Sachindra K. Majumdar p. 155).

The Bhagavad Gita is the jewel of all Hindu religious writing. This sacred poem, which appears in the great Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, is the quintessence of the Upanishadic teachings. The chief doctrines of the Bhagavad Gita are in theism, its devotionalism, its doctrine of the divine appearance in human form as savior of man, and its teaching of divine grace. In the Bhagavad Gita is found the first clear statement of beatitude as a mutual indwelling of God in man and man in God:"They who with devotion worship me, they are in me and I in them." (IX 29). (source: Religions of India: Hinduism, Yoga, Buddhism - Thomas Berry p. 31-32).

The Bhagavad Gita is a spiritual, much revered work that has served as an inspiration to all Hindus for thousands of years. Sri AdiSankaracomposed his commentary on the Gita in the 8th century, while Sant Dnyaneswar, one of the foremost religious figures of Maharashtra wrote his commentary on the Geeta; The Dnyaneswari in 13th century. The Dnyaneshwari has been an integral part of Maharashtra’s cultural and religious tradition ever since.

Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904) poet and scholar. Author of The Song Celestial, which is a translation of the Bhagavad Gita. It has great elevation of tone and majesty and dignity of style. There are many translations of the Gita but Arnold's translation has a place apart among them by its accuracy and the grave harmony of the verse. The translation is dedicated by the poet to India. Arnold was inspired by the Gita in his "Lays of Ind". The dedicatory verses are in Arnold's own translation: "So have I read this wonderful and spirit-thrilling speech,

By Krishna and Prince Arjuna held, discoursing each with each; So have I writ its wisdom here, its hidden mystery, For England; O our India! as dear to me as she!

He wrote in his preface: "This famous and marvelous Sanskrit poem occurs as an episode of the Mahabharata, in the sixth - or "Bhishma" - Parva of the great Hindu epic. It enjoys immense popularity and authority in India, where it is reckoned as one of the "Five Jewels" - pancharatnani - of Devanagari literature. In plain but noble language it unfolds a philosophical system which remains to this day the prevailing Brahmanic belief blending as it does the doctrine of Kapila, Patanjali, and the Vedas." (source: Eminent Orientalists: Indian European American - Asian Educational Services. p. 234-235).

To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati.

Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism and Stotra Rathnas. *** The Message of the Bhagavad Gita to Modern Man 1. Gita not only a Philosophy but a Code of Conduct Gita consists of the teaching given to the pupil Arjuna by Lord Shri Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra when the pupil, at the critical moment when the war was about to commence, was in doubt as to whether he was to follow the promptings of his personal affection and reverence for those on the opposite side or follow the dictates of duty.

In unequivocal terms the Lord asks Arjuna to fight the battle irrespective of his personal ties with persons on the other side.

The occasion is utilized by the Lord to explain the whole purpose of Life, the meaning of all the world process and the place of man in the scheme of things. As the colophon at the end of every chapter puts it, the Gita is an Upanishad, it is a philosophical treatise. But it is something more than that. It is a code of conduct for man applicable to varying temperaments, various avocations and various levels of development. It is this aspect that makes for the unique place which the Gita has among the scriptures of the world.

2. Unity of Life and Consequent interdependence of everything in the world The Lord stresses throughout the central idea of all Indian philosophies, the Imminence of God and the interdependence of man - not only man, but of all beings. "The Lord dwelleth in the heart of all beings." 'Having pervaded this whole universe with one fragment of Myself, I remain." Everything in the universe partakes of one life; the wise man realizes that the outer differences are deceptive and illusionary, he looks beyond the veil and sees the common basis of all beings.

3. Dedicated Action does not bind, it frees the Man The most important contribution of the Gita to the religious thought of India is the emphasis the Lord lays on action (karma) in Sanskrit. The attitude of escapism is severely condemned by the Lord. He says, "Nor can anyone, even for an instant, remain really action-less." What binds a man is not action but his attachment to the fruit of the action.

And so the lord repeatedly enjoins activity without attachment to the fruit.

Lord Krishna playing his flute awakens devotion in the hearts of Hindu devotees, because it reminds them of God calling the soul to eternal wakefulness in Him. *** 4. Gita's message of Hope Above all, Gita is a gospel of hope and optimism. Let no one despair. Weak as we are, full of faults as we are, we can all reach the goal. We are Divine in essence, our Divinity is only veiled; rend the veil and let the inner Divinity reveal itself. "Even if the most sinful worship Me, with undivided heart, he too must be accounted righteous, for he hath rightly resolved." The Lord further guarantees, "Speedily he becometh dutiful and goeth to eternal peace."

5. The Theory of Avatar - Divine Manifestations In the words of the Gita, the divine manifestations come to restore Righteousness when it has been trampled under the foot by human selfishness and perversity.

(source: Facets of Indian Culture - By R. Srinivasan p. 240-244).

The theology of the Bhagavad Gita is attractive because it does not favor of any of the path. Whatever works for you is the truth, a pragmatic attitude which is Hinduism's great and old strength. The Gita is thus a product of mature Hinduism. The Gita boldly asserts that dharma is possible without renunciation, and many reformers have seized upon that to try and awaken Indians from a too comfortable 'spiritual' torpor. The atman is regarded as deathless in a famous verse and it also undergoes - rebirth. If you find the Lord who is Transcendant then you are saved from this futility of rebirth. This can be done by your own striving or by your devotion to the Lord , both of which will call forth His grace.

Krishna's exhortation to fight may be likened to the motivation of many a soldier or Resistance fighter who took up arms because his country needed his participation in the fight for freedom. As a crowning touch - Krishna reveals his Cosmic Form to Arjuna in some of the most impressive poetry ever written by the hand of man. This poem has become the most important spiritual rite of passage of most Hindus, and is the most beloved of Hindu scriptures of educated India.

The central gem in the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita. The first call in it is the call to manly action. Sri Krishna then teaches Nishkama Karmayoga and Dhyanayoga and Bhaktiyoga and Jananayoga. Devotion to God is the vital element in all of them. The easiest and surest of all the paths is Bhakti for in it God comes to our aid and crowns our effort with success. In short, the Gita reconciles and synthesizes all the apparently irreconcilable schools of philosophic thought in India. The Gita is thus a world book, a book for all humanity in all times and climes.

George Feuerstein says: "According to Hindu tradition the epic depicts the drama of the human soul and its eternal struggle between the divine and the demonic forces, between Good and Evil, Right and Wrong - Dharma and Adharma. The great figures of the epic are believed to represent particular aspects of the human being. So Bhima is identified with 'strength' Yuyudhana with 'success' Dhrtaketu with 'prosperity' Kasiraja with 'purity' and so on. With the exception of a few scholars, the dry, academically stilted approach of contemporary Indology, with little interest in the inner meaning of its subject matter, becomes significantly apparent in the Gita which brimming with significance." (source: Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita - By George Feuerstein p. 61-62).

Throughout the past thousand years of the history of Hinduism, the popularity and authority of the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of the Lord, has been, and still is, unrivaled.

Whoever reads it for the first time will be struck by the beauty and depth; countless Hindus know it by heart and quote it at many occasions as an expression of their faith and their own insights.

Hans Torwesten (1944 - ) a native of Germany, studied art in Vienna and Indian philosophy, meditation, and yoga in England. A writer, lecturer, yoga teacher, and painter, he now lives in Austria. He writes: "For all its maturity and roundedness the Gita is no tired work of old age. It also goes far beyond mere artificial syncretism. If besides its well-roundedness it did not also possess freshness and youthful vigor, it would hardly still inspire us so much today....but indeed an organic whole the totally universal perspective of which have saved many a reader who chanced upon this little book from the narrowmindedness and despair of an apparently meaningless life, luring him on toward the immeasurable expanse of the realm of the divine." (source: Vedanta: Heart of Hinduism - By Hans Torwesten p.77).

Charles Wilkins made the Gita known to Europe through his English translation which appeared in 1785. Notwithstanding the critical approach of many Western Indologists, the Bhagavad Gita has become a favorite book of many Westerners.

Wilhelm von Humboldt 1767- 1835) Prussian minister of education, a brilliant linguist and the founder of the science of general linguistics. He read this Latin version was so enthusiastic that he declared "this episode of the Mahabharata is the most beautiful, nay perhaps even the only true philosophical poem which we can find in all the literature known to us."

The Gita is a book of crisis. A direct modern Western reference to the Bhagavad Gita occurred in a context that to call historical is almost an understatement - it may better be called apocalyptic.

Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) Scientist, philosopher, bohemian, and radical. A theoretical physicist and the Supervising Scientist for the Manhattan Project, the developer of the atomic bomb, described the thoughts that passed through his mind when he witnessed the first atomic test explosion in the desert of New Mexico: "On the sight of the fire-ball two ancient verses came to my mind. The one: "Of a thousand suns in the sky if suddenly should burst forth the light, it would be like unto the light of that Exalted One." (BG XI, 12). The other: "Death, am I, cause of destruction of the world, matured and set out to gather in the worlds there." (BG XI, 32).

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer: "In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seems puny."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) author, essayist, lecturer, philosopher, Unitarian minister said this about the Gita: "I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-Gita. It was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us." (for more quotes refer to chapter on Quotes).

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) poet, author, philosopher, Nobel prize laureate, proclaimed: "It feels me with great joy and a high hope for the future of humanity when I realize that there was a time in the remote past when our poet, sages stood under the lavish sunshine of an Indian sky and greeted the world with the glad recognition of kindred. ...This is a noble heritage....it is not merely intellectual or emotional, it has an ethical basis, and it must be translated into action. Upanishads say, 'The supreme being is all pervading, therefore he is the innate good in all." (source: Indianization - By Paramesh Chowdhury Calcutta: Globe Library, 1981 p. 109).

Herman Hesse (1877-1962) German poet and novelist, awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1946 says: "The marvel of the Bhagavad-Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life's wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion."

Carl Jung (1875-1961), student of Sigmund Freud, psychiatrist think: "The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in by gone ages. The link with Vedic conceptions is provided by Plato in his Timaeus in which it states..." behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant."

W. L. Wilmhurst says that the Gita is: "the climax at once for the religion, the philosophy and the poetry of an eastern people." (source: Hindu Culture and The Modern Age - By Dewan Bahadur K. S. Ramaswami Sastri. p. 218-219).

"For the protection of the good and the destruction of the wicked...I am born in every age."

- Bhagavad Gita IV. 8 Listen to The Bhagavad Gita podcast - By Michael Scherer - americanphonic.com.

Top of Page All Matter is Nothing but energy Dynamism is the great law of the universe. Change and movement occur eternally, symbolized by Shiva's Dance. The recurring theme in Hindu mythology is the creation of the world by the self-sacrifice of God - "sacrifice" in the original sense of "making sacred" - whereby God becomes the world. Lila, the play of God, is the creative activity of the Divine; and the world is the stage of the Divine play. Brahman is the great magician Who transforms Himself into the world and He performs this feat with His "magic creative power", which is the original meaning of maya in the Rig Veda.

Dr. Fritjof Capra has said: "As long as we confuse the myraid forms of the Divine lila with reality, without preceiving the unity of Brahman underlying all these forms, we are under the spell of maya...Maya is the illusion of taking these concepts for reality, of confusing the map with the territory."

To the Rishis the divine play was the evolution of the cosmos through countless aeons.

There is an infinite number of creations in an infinite universe. The Rishis gave the name kalpa to the unimaginable span of time between the beginning and the end of creation.

They understood the staggering scale of the divine play. Many centuries later the scientific mind still boggles at the scale of creation which makes infinity intelligible. The Rishis clearly perceived that the most fundamental characteristic of this incomprehensible creation was that it was in a perpetual state of movement, flow and change. Lila is a rhythmic play which goes on in endless cycles, the One becoming the many and the many returning to the One. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes this rhythmic play of creation in the following words: "At the end of the night of time all things return to my nature, and when the new day of time begins I bring them again into light.

Thus through my nature I bring forth all creation and this rolls around in the circles of time."

"But I am not bound by this vast work of creation. I am and I watch the drama of works.

I watch and in its work of creation nature brings forth all that moves and moves not; and thus the revolutions of the world go round."

How uncanny is the identity of the ancient insights with the latest conclusions of modern science which are well summed up in the fascinating book, The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra: "When we study the universe as a whole, with its millions of galaxies, we have

reached the largest scale of space and time; and again, at that cosmic level, we discover that the universe is not static - it is expanding!

Modern physics has come to the conclusion that mass is nothing but a form of energy. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the basis of the theory of relativity, and the space-time character of the universe, were perceived by the old Indian Rishis in their advanced stage of spiritual consciousness. In their state of higher consciousness they realized that the ultimate constituents of the universe - energy and mass, particle and wave, - were but different aspects of the same basic process, but the same Oneness which pervaded the entire universe. Today science has relearned that lesson. In the words of A. N. Whitehead: "Matter has been identified with energy, and energy is sheer activity."

Thus, the vastest knowledge of today cannot transcend the buddhi of the Rishis; and science, in its most advanced stage, is closer to Vedanta than ever before. (source: India's Priceless Heritage - By Nani Palkhivala published by Bharati Vidya Bhavan 1980 p. 17-21). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism. Refer toScience and the Gita - By Dr. Alok K. Bohara Top of Page Brahman: The All- Pervading Reality In the entire history of human knowledge there has been no concept greater or deeper than the concept of Brahman evolved by ancient India. There is a unity underlying the entire creation. All parts are related to and interdependent on one another. Brahman is the ultimate and all-pervading reality: the inner essence of all things. Einstein worked for decades on the Unified Theory, an aspect of Brahman.

Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose (1858-1937)A great biologist and the first Indian scientist to have been knighted by the British king for his contributions in Botany. He said at the opening of the Institute which bears his name, observed: "I dedicate today this institute as not merely a laboratory but a temple...In time the leading scientific societies of the world accepted my theories and results, and recognized the importance of the Indian contribution to science. Can anything small or circumscribed ever satisfy the mind of India? By a continuous living tradition and a vital power of rejuvenescence, this land has readjusted itself through unnumbered transformations.

Indians have always arisen who, discarding the immediate and absorbing prize of the honor, have sought for the realization of the highest ideals in life - not through passive renunciation but through active struggle."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1817-1862) American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer was fascinate by the concept of Brahman: "All science is transcendental or else passes away. Botany is now acquiring the right theory - the avatars of Brahman will presently be the text-books of natural history."

The basic oneness of the universe which was a part of the mystical experience of the Indian sages is one of the most important revelations of modern physics. Eminent scientists like John Wheeler point out that in modern science the distinction between observer and observed breaks down completely and instead of the "observer" we have to "put in its place the new word "participator". In some strange sense the universe is a participatory universe."

The Upanishads had taught the same lesson of the subject and the object fusing into a unified un-differentiated whole:

"Where there is duality, as it were, there one sees another; there one smells another; there one taste another...But where everything has become just one's own self, then whereby and whom would one see? then whereby and whom would one smell? then whereby and whom would one taste ?"

The intuition of Indian mystics led them to understand the multidimensional reality and of space-time continuum which is the basis of the modern theory of relativity.

Vedanta taught the technique of self-development. The ultimate destiny of man is to discover within himself the true Self as the changless behind the changing, the eternal behind the ephemeral, and the infinite behind the finite. Greater wisdom was never compressed into three words than by the Chandogya Upanishadwhich proclaimed the true Self of man as part of the Infinite Spirit - tat twam asi: "That Thou Art".

Sanskrit, the language of Hindu scriptures, is the oldest and the most systematic language in the world. It originated several thousand years ago, yet is still used in India. (image source: Eastern Wisdom: The Philosophies and Rituals of the East - By Michael Jordan p. 29).

To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati. *** In the beautiful words of Vedanta: "Samvit or pure consciousness is one and non-dual, ever self-luminous, and does not rise or set in months and years and aeons, past or future." (source: India's Priceless Heritage - By Nani Palkhivala published by Bharati Vidya Bhavan 1980 p 8-11).

According to Mani Bhuamik an elected fellow of the American Physical Society as well as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers writes: "The ancient Vedantic concepts that we all cut our spiritual teeth on are a part of the grand reconciliation now going on between science and religion.

We find these concepts embodied in the extensive literature starting with the four Vedas and their subsequent elaborations in the Upanishads. The recurring theme of these perceptions is that, underlying all physical reality, there is one abstract entity, Brahman, with the quality of consciousness. Having created the universe, Brahman remains present everywhere today, administering basic aspects of everything in our cosmos.

Recent scientific discoveries seem to validate the concept of Brahman. Physicists and cosmologists are close to proving that there is one source behind the physical universe, and they call this source the unified field. In a profound sense, Brahman, the Vedantic concept and the unified field of physics appear to be synonymous." (source: Physics & Vedanta: So much in common - Mani Bhaumik Times of India 2/26/02). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism and Stotra Rathnas.

Top of Page Itihasa: The Great Epics An Epic is a long narrative poem. Its theme is grand and its style is in keeping with the grandeur of the theme. Kings, queens, nobles, courts, forests, seas and wars are all elaborately described. The two Indian epics - The Ramayana and Mahabharata have all

these characteristics and present a picture of society of the period. Mahabharata is the longest poem written in any language of the world. The epics are literary compositions, describing in glorious terms the heroic deeds and virtues of the Kshatriya princes of ancient India. They are respected as sacred works and at the same time they tell us a lot about the society and the people.

The Ramayana and Mahabharata have been a constant source of comfort, guidance, and entertainment to millions down the ages. Whereas the Homeric Epics have never been sacred books and have long since ceased to occupy a central position in Greek culture, the Indian Epics are the most widely read and respected religious books of the Hindus today.

Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) most original philosopher of modern India. In his analysis of Mahabharata and Ramayana observes, "It is notable that the two vast Indian epics have been considered as much as Dharmashastras as great historico-myth epic narratives, itihasas. They are, that is to say, noble, vivid and puissant picture of life, but they utter and breathe throughout their course, the law and ideal of a great and high ethical and religious spirit of life and aim in their highest intention at the idea of the Divine and the say of the mounting soul in the action of the world."

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was the foremost disciple of Ramakrishna and a world spokesperson for Vedanta. India's first spiritual and cultural ambassador to the West, has said: “In fact, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two encyclopedias of ancient Aryan life and wisdom, portraying the ideal civilization, which humanity has yet to aspire after.�

Sir Monier-Williams (1860-1888) Indologist and head of the Oxford's Boden Chair says, "Although the Hindus, like the Greeks, have only two great epic poems, namely, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, yet to compare these with the Illiad or the Odyssey is to compare the Indus and the Ganga rising in the snows of the world's most colossal ranges, swollen by numerous tributaries, spreading into vast shallows or branching into deep divergent channels, with the streams of Attica or the mountainous torrents of Thessaly."

He continues, "There are many graphical passages in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata which for beauty of description cannot be surpassed by anything in Homer. The diction in the Indian epics is more polished, regular and cultivated and the language is in an altogether advanced stage than that of Homer." (source: The Soul of India - By Satyavrata R Patel p. 82-83).

Arnold Hermann Ludwig Heeren (1760-1842) in Historical Researches, says: "The literature of the Hindus is rich in epic poetry."

Saint Hilaire Bartholemy thus speaks of the Mahabharata in the Journal Des Savantes of September 1886: "When a century ago (1785) Mr. Charles Wilkins published in Calcutta an extract from the grand poem (Mahabharata) and made it known through the episode of the Bhagavad gita, the world was dazzled with its magnificence. Vyasa, the reputed author of Mahabharata, appeared greater than Homer...It has not the less been admitted that this prodigious Hindu epic is one of the grandest monuments of its kind of human intelligence and genius." (source: Hindu Superiority - By Har Bilas Sarda p. 237).

Francois Gautier (1950 - ) Paris-born, he has lived in India for 30 years, is a political analyst for Le Figaro, one of France's largest circulation newspaper has written that:

"The Mahabharata and Ramayana are epical, in the spirit as well as the purpose. The Mahabharata is on a vast scale, maybe unsurpassed even today, the epic of the soul and tells a story of the ethics of India of that time, its social, political and cultural life." (source: A New History of India - By Francois Gautier p. 40 - 42).

Itihasa, (history) is the collective term for the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, in the western publications usually called the Great Epics. The two great epics of India, Ramayana and Mahabharata, have inspired millions of devotees, down the more than thirty-odd centuries that they have been in existence. The two epics are truly the soul of ancient India and of Hindu society, even today. The Ramayana took place in the period (4750 BCE) and the Mahabharata War took place on November 22, 3067 BCE. This date has been calculated by astronomers on the basis of the planetary positions on that day as recorded by Vyasa. (For more information please refer to Dating Mahabharata War Two Eclipses in Thirteen Days) The immortal Bhagavad Gita is also enshrined in the Mahabharata. It is a discourse on Duty and Right Action given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the field of battle at Kurukshetra. An inspiration and guide to humanity in its conduct through life, the Bhagavad Gita has few parallels in the world.

The greatest characters portrayed in these epics have become for all times the sources of inspiration and emulation for the members of the Hindu society and, indeed for all societies since their approach is human with no consideration of race or place. The authors of these epics - Rishi Valmiki and Rishi Vyasa were the greatest teachers of our thought in two different ages, who, through their creations, created ideal and practical human beings struggling to solve problems of their times, and for all times indeed, since those problems are universal. The Mahabharata contains the famous lecture known as Shrimad Bhagvadgita which infact, is the essence of the Hindu thought spoken through the mouth of Lord Krishna himself.

Valmiki: Aadikavi (foremost poet) composer of Ramayana Rishi Vyasa dictating the Mahabharata to Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is also known as Shoden in Japan.

For more refer to chapter on Greater India: Suvarnabhumi and Sacred Angkor and Glimpses XVII *** Tradition has it that Maharshi Vyasa, gave to the world the epic of Mahabharata. Vyasa is said to be an ancestor of the Kauravas and Pandavas. The story goes that, having resolved to write the Mahabharata, Vyasa meditated on Lord Brahma the Creator, who manifested himself before him. Vyasa with folded hands said: "Lord, I have decided to write the sacred story, but cannot think of anyone who can take it down to my dictation." Lord Brahma approved and said,"O sage, pray to Lord Ganapati and beg him to take it down for you." Saying which Brahma disappeared. The sage Vyasa prayed to god Ganapati who appeared before him. Vyasa received him with due respect and sought his aid: "Lord Ganapati, I shall dictate the story of Mahabharata and I pray you to be so gracious as to write it down."

Ganapati replied, "Very well, I shall do as you wish. But my pen must not stop while I am

writing, so you must dictate without pause or hesitation."

Vyasa agreed, safeguarding himself, however, with a counter-condition: "Be it so, but you must first grasp the meaning of what I say before writing it down." Ganapati smiled and agreed to the condition. Then the sage began to sing the story of Mahabharata. He would occasionally compose some complex stanzas which would make Ganapati pause a while to get at their meaning, and Vyasa would avail of the interval to compose many more stanzas in his mind. Thus the Mahabharata came to be written to the dictation of Vyasa.

Lord Rama - 8th century, Kerala, India. *** The Ramayana and Mahabharata are based on historical tradition (itihasa), considerably embellished, to be sure, but still with a kernel of historicity: we find depicted in these epics a highly developed civilization spanning millennia, and a Great War waged around 3100 B.C. both of which are incompatible with semi primitive cattle-worshipping Aryans coming into India. *** Ramayana - 'Adikvaya' or Primeval Poem Jules Michelet, (1789-1874), French writer, the greatest historian of the romantic school said about the Ramayana: "There lies my great poem, as vast as the Indian ocean, blessed, gilded with the sun, the book of divine harmony wherein is no dissonance. A serene peace reigns there, and in the midst of conflict an infinite sweetness, a boundless fraternity, which spreads over all living things, an ocean (without bottom or bound) of love, of pity, of clemency." (source: Philosophy of Hinduism - An Introduction - By T. C. Galav ISBN: 0964237709 Universal Science-Religion. Pg 149).

The following passages about the Epics are noteworthy for their beauty and for their insight: Sir Monier Williams (1860-1888) Indologist and head of the Oxford's Boden Chaira and Sanskritist wrote: "There is not in the whole range of Sanskrit literature a more charming poem than the Ramayana. The classical purity, clearness and simplicity of its style, the exquisite touches of true poetic feeling with which it abounds, its graphic description of heroic incidents, nature's grandest scenes, the deep acquaintance it displays with the conflicting workings of the mind and most refined emotions of human heart, all entitle it to rank among the most beautiful compositions, that have appeared at any period or in any country." (source: The Soul of India - By Satyavrata R Patel p. 83).

Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) most original philosopher of modern India. He has written in his book The Foundations of Indian Culture, " The Ramayana is a work of the same essential kind as the Mahabharata; it differs only by a greater simplicity of plan, a more delicate ideal temperament and a finer glow of poetic warmth and color. At the same time there is a like vastness of vision, an even more wide-winged flight of epic sublimity in the conception and sustained richness of minute execution in the detail. The poet makes us conscious of the immense forces that are

behind our life and sets his action in a magnificent epic scenery, the great imperial city, the mountains and the ocean, the forest and wilderness, described with such a largeness as to make us feel as if the whole world were the scenes of his poem and its subject the whole divine and titanic possibility of man imaged in a few great or monstrous figure." (source: The Foundations of Indian Culture - By Sri Aurobindo p. 289 - 290).

Sir Monier Williams says: "Ramayana is undoubtedly one of the greatest treasure in Sanskrit literature."

Sir William Jones (1746-1794) wrote: "The Ramayana is an epic poem on the story of Rama, which, in unity of action, magnificence of imagery and elegance of style far surpasses the learned and elaborate work of Nonnus."

Ralph T H Griffith (1826 -1906) author of The Hymns of Rig Veda, says: "Well may the Ramayana challenge the literature of every age and country to produce a poem that can boast of such perfect characters as a Rama and Sita." He adds, "Nowhere else are poetry and morality so charmingly united, each elevating the other as in this really holy poem." (source: Hindu Superiority - By Har Bilas Sarda p. 232 - 235).

"It must be admitted, however, that, in exhibiting pictures of domestic life and manners, the Sanskrit epics are even more true and real than the Greek and Roman. In the delineation of women the Hindu poet thrown aside all exaggerated coloring and drawn from nature - Kaikeyi, Kausalya, Mandodari (favorite wife of Ravana), and even the humble-backed Manthara are all drawn to the very life. Sita, Draupadi, and Damayanti engage our affections and our interest for more than Helen or even Penelope. Indeed Hindu wives are generally perfect patterns of conjugal fidelity; can it be doubted that, in these delightful portraits of the Pativrata or purity and simplicity of Hindu domestic manners in early times."

Hanuman', son of Vayu (God of Wind), a symbol of selfless service to God. It is no accident that a monkey should be accorded this honor: love transcends social standing or even race or species. *** The Ramayana is India's national epic. The future of her nationhood depend on how this epic lives in and through us. The Ramayana is composed by Valmiki in beautiful Sanskrit by assembling the elements of a long oral tradition. It tells of the infancy and youth of Rama, son of King Dasaratha, and of his marriage to Princess Sita, 'born from a furrow in the ground.' He won her, by bending a prodigious bow which his rivals could not even lift. Here is the struggle between Good and Evil. The jealously of his father's favorite wife brings about Rama's exile to the forest. Lakshmana and Sita are permitted to go with him. In the forest, Ravana kidnaps Sita by trickery and carries her off to his residence to Lanka. To deliver Sita, Rama becomes the ally of the 'army of monkeys' led by Hanuman.

He kills Ravana and his exile ends, he returns triumphantly with Sita and Lakshman to Ayodhya. (source: Cultural Heritage of Ancient India - By Sachindra Kumar Maity p 8-10). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism Ramayana, meaning 'Rama's travels' is one of the greatest epics of all time. Packed with action and romance, this more than 4,000 years old story of Rama's journey through India and his spiritual voyage as man and god is also a holy text by which millions of Hindus

live their lives.

"Indeed, in depicting scenes of domestic affection, and expressing those universal feelings and emotions which belong to human nature in all time and in all places, Sanskrit epic poetry is unrivalled even by Greek Epics.....In the Indian epics, such passages abound, and besides giving a very high idea of the purity and happiness of domestic life in ancient India, indicate a capacity in Hindu woman for the discharge of the most sacred and important social duties."

"Yet there are not wanting indications in the Indian Epics of a higher degree of civilization than that represented in the Homeric poems. The battlefields of the Ramayana and Mahabharata,......are not made barbarously wanton cruelties; and the description of Ayodhya and Lanka imply far greater luxury and refinement than those of Sparta and Troy."

"He (Rama) is the type of a perfect husband, son, and brother. Sita also rises in character far above Helen and even above Penelope, both in her sublime devotion and loyalty to her husband, and her indomitable patience and endurance under suffering and temptation.....it may be affirmed generally that the whole tone of the Ramayana is certainly above that of the Illiad."

Lord Rama - the dark one with the bow. *** The Ramayana has enjoyed the most extraordinary circulation throughout India itself and the countries under Indian influence. The beautiful language and the poetry of the Ramayana would suffice to make it a favorite of the Indians; as well as this, they also admire Rama's obedience towards his father, his generosity towards Kaikeyi, Sita's fidelity in following Rama into the jungle and during her captivity. Bharata's and Laksmana's brotherly loyalty and the greatness and strength of Rama. If ever there was an ancient literary work that is alive in our time, it is the Ramayana.! It is read and sung every day by numberless Hindus, humble and high; it is worshipped and held sacred and performed in Rama-Lilas every year in small and big towns.

Jonah Blank, former editor of Asahi Evening News in Tokyo, and author of Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God observes: " Imagine a story that is the Odyssey, Aesop's fables, Romeo and Juliet, the Bible and Star Wars all at the same time. Imagine a story that combines adventure and aphorism, romance and religion, fantasy and philosophy. Imagine a story that makes young children marvel, burly men weep, and old women dream. Such a story exists in India, and it is called the Ramayana. This best beloved of Indian epics was sung by nameless bards for ages before being written down by Valmiki in the third century B.C. It chronicles Rama's physical voyage from one end of the Indian subcontinent to the other, and his spiritual voyage from Man to God. " (source: Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God: Retracing the Ramayana Through India - By Jonah Blank p. ix).

The whole epic is a lesson in duty. This is as it should be: every man and every woman must follow dharma, too many people today forget this basic truth.

Ramayana means Rama's travels. Since the time of Valmiki, other poets have made their translations and adaptations of this epic, and Ramayana long ago migrated across South

East Asia (Suvarnabhumi) to countries as Thailand and Indonesia, each of whom have their own Ramayana literary traditions and have made it a part of their culture. In Thailand, Ramayana dance-drama is the national dance, an inheritance of the country ancient Hindu past, and the Thai king traditionally models himself on Rama. Indonesia is famous for its shadow puppet theatre depicting Ramayana.

The Ramayana is shorter, more unified, more appealing and even more popular than the Mahabharata. In its present form it constitutes about one-quarter of the volume of the Mahabharata, about 24,000 shokas. As usual, good deal of textual criticism has been applied by Western scholars to this work. The traditional Indian view seems to emerge as historically substantially correct: before being reduced to writing, the story of Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya, was sung as a ballad by wandering bards in the assemblies of kings.

The Ramayana itself says that the first recitation took place in the forest before a gathering of sages, the second in the streets of Ayodhya, and the third and final one in the palace of Rama, after his enthronement.

In its numerous reworkings in the vernaculars the Ramayana has become an inspiration for millions of Hindus. Mahatma Gandhi praised the Ramacaritamanasa of the 16th century poet Tulsidasa as the greatest work in the entire religious literature of the world; countless Indian villagers know a large number of its dohas, summarizing not only the story of Rama but also epigrammatically expressing the accumulated wisdom of India.

Scholars have hailed it as the "perfect example of the perfect book."

The Valmiki Ramayana, also called Adikavya or first epic poem. The Ramayana is believed to have been divinely revealed: The story is supposed to have come to its composer: Valmiki, while meditating upon the mantra "Ram" Legend has it that he retired to the forest where during 1,000 years of meditation, he kept so motionless that his body became covered by a valmiak (anthill) - hence his name, meaning "son of the anthill."

Ram, Sita and Lakshman at Rishi Agastya's ashram *** "The Ramayana will be read in this country of Bharata as long as its rivers continue to flow and its mountains remain in their place" reads one verse, from the Ramayana. Today, Ramayana remains an essential part of Mother India and the name of Rama echoes on a million lips every day. In Indian villages it is customary to hear stories of Ramayana in the evening. After sunset villagers gather to hear the storyteller bring the characters to life; they cheer or cry as the story unfolds, then go home to sleep and dream of Ramayana.

Scene from Thai Ramayana, Grand Palace, Bangkok. Thailand.

Sita Devi, a Malay shadow puppet.

For more refer to chapter on Greater India: Suvarnabhumi and Sacred Angkor and Glimpses XVI *** In India, the roots of this story go back, thousands of years. It has been told countless times, by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, and early spread beyond India itself to the

countries of South east Asia. Today, if you visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, you can see beautiful carvings around the walls, telling a Thai Buddhist version of the story. In villages in Indonesia and Malaysia, professional puppeteers and musicians still present the story thorough puppets or ordinary puppets, accompanied by the haunting music of the gamelan. (source: Sita's Story - By Jacqueline Suthren Hirst p. 6-9).

Moral of Ramayana The Web of Karma: One great theme of Ramayana is the working out of Karma, the consequence of past deeds. The basic plot of Ramayana is a simple struggle between good and evil. But it is not allowed to remain simple. We discover that there are many layers of karma involved and dilemmas to be faced, and the gap between good and evil is not as clear as we might have thought, and that behind this simple story lies a cosmic purpose to be fulfilled. At every step along the way, we are tested emotionally and intellectually.

Freedom and Duty: A central theme of Ramayana is the sacrifice of freedom for the sake of duty or honor. The Sanskrit word approximating "duty" is dharmawhich has no equivalent in English. Roughly translated it means, ' the essential purpose of life.' In Hindu society this manifests as a set of principles governing behavior, such as the duty to obey one's father or to protect one's dependents.

In India, Ramayana passed into each of the regional languages, such as Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Kashmiri, Oriya, Kannada, Telugu, Malalylam, where it generated separate literary and religious traditions. Each region of the country has its own style of Ramayana drama, such as the famous Kathakali dancer of Kerala, and elaborate dramatic productions are staged in the major cities. At festivals effigies of the demon character Ravana and Kumbhkarna are burnt. Ramayana is a staple of Indian cinema and the serialized Ramayana on television, broadcast for 78 weeks during 1987-88, brought the nation to a standstill for an hour each Sunday.

In all these ways Rama has entered the subconscious of India. This is why, so long after its creation, Ramayana remains an essential part of Mother India and the name echoes on a million lips every day. (source: Ramayana - A Journey - By Ranchor Prime p. 6-14).

Warrior Prince, The Legend of Ramayana - animated movie. *** The Ramayana describes the ideal man and the ideal woman and may be called the Epic of the Household. The sacrifice of one's personal welfare in the interests of the general welfare and the supremacy of Dharma are its primary lessons. Warrior Prince, The Legend of Ramayana was awarded the "Best Animation film of the year" out of 60 competing entries at the Santa Clarita International festival, in Santa Clarita, California.

While accepting the award, Shah said, "This is not just an epic story set in India. It presents a code by which millions upon millions live their lives. No wonder George Lucas borrowed heavily from the epic and made a very universal film out it called Star Wars!" (For more information, please refer to Jedi in the Lotus - By Steven Rosen -

Infinity Foundation).

Warrior Prince is a 12 million-dollar film based upon on Ramayana. It is a 95-minute action packed, feature film that explores the animation style called "FUSION." which consists of 3 different schools of animation. The picture is a true blend of art, romance, music and stunning visual power of East and West melding--lifting the story out of it's historic setting and delivering it slap-bang it into 21th Century. The film was directed and conceived by Yugo Sako, a versatile documentary filmmaker from Japan. James Earl Jones is the narrator.

To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati.

Top of Page Mahabharata Dr. Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar (1837-1919) Eminent Orientalist, has rated the Mahabharata as "the greatest work of imagination that Asia has produced."

Sir Charles Elliot (1862-1931) British diplomat and colonial administrator, has called it "a greater poem than the Iliad." (source: Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage - By Will Durant MJF Books.1935 p. 561).

Barend Van Nooten author of the book - Rig Veda, a metrically restored text with an introduction and notes, and The Mahabharata; Attributed to Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, writes: "Borrowings by western scholars in the sphere of literature and philosophy are obvious and well-known. There are near virtual; copies of plots, characters, episodes, situations and time duration from the Mahabharata in Homer and Virgil." (source: Philosophy of Hinduism - An Introduction - By T. C. Galav p. 18).

Arnold Hermann Ludwig Heeran (1760-1842) says: "It will scarcely be possible to deny the Mahabharata to be one of the richest compositions in Epic poetry that was ever produced."

Alain Danielou (1907-1994), son of French aristocracy, author of numerous books on philosophy, religion, history and arts of India has said: "The Mahabharata is a mine of information about the science, customs, religion, and arts of India at various stages of its history. Additions from very different sources have been made to the original, turning it into a vast anthology of human knowledge.

Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) says: "The Mahabharata is not only the story of the Bharatas, the epic of an early event which had become a national tradition but on a vast scale the epic of the soul and religious and ethical mind and social and political ideas and culture and life of India. The Mahabharata is the creation and expression not of a single individual mind but on the mind of a nation; it is the poem of itself written by a whole people....A vast temple unfolding slowly its immense and complex ideas from chamber to chamber." (source: The Vision of India - By Sisirkumar Mitra p. 58 and The Foundations of Indian Culture - By Sri Aurobindo p. 42).

Sylvain Levi (1863-1935) French scholar, Orientalist who wrote on Eastern religion,

literature, and history.

"The Mahabharata is not only the largest, but also the grandest of all epics, as it contains throughout a lively teaching of morals under a glorious garment of poetry." (source: Hindu Superiority - By Har Bilas Sarda p. 236).

A manuscript illustration of the Battle of Kurukshetra, fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, recorded in the Mahabharata Epic. (image source: Eastern Wisdom: The Philosophies and Rituals of the East - By Michael Jordan p. 35). *** The Mahabharata is one of the greatest works of Sanskrit literature, the longest poem in world literature. The Mahabharata is a perceptive record of a great period of India's history. The Mahabharata has been described as "the longest exposition on Dharma to ever be written." The Mahabharata is not merely a historic work but it reflects the dynamic culture of India. The first verse is: "narayanam namaskrtya narain caiva narottamam devim sarasvatim caiva tato jayam udiryer Narayana and Nara, the divine and the human their personal encounters and discussions of dharma, artha, kama and moksa, are to be found here. It is a veritable encyclopedia and it carries this verse about its own scope. It is said that what is found here may be found elsewhere but what is not found here cannot be found elsewhere. The poetic, imaginative and questing spirit, the deeper thoughts and emotions, not easy sentiments, find expression in this great epic. We come across characters, varied and many, who have entered into the bloodstream of our history. They are known also in Indo-China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and other places. (source: Our Heritage - S. Radhakrishnan p. 39-41). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism The Mahabharat is a Tangled Tale of Life: The tangle nature of issues is clear from the fact that in the Mahabharat nobody wants a war and yet nobody could avoid it. It came with all the killings and disaster. But the Mahabharat is much more than a mere description of the blood-bath which was the battle of Kurukshetra. The finest flower of the world chivalry and heroism perished in the flames of war in a matter of eighteen days. The Mahabharat answers these vital questions of life, which grows in complexity as it evolves as if driven by an inner, inevitable logic of its own. The Mahabharat is a great and glorious epic poetry, but even more than its liquid and lyrical quality is the force of its logic, and this is why it overpowers the heart as well as the mind. (source: Indian Culture: Its Triumphs and Tragedies - By H. L. Sharma Mansi Prakashan Meerut. p. 122-123).

The Mahabharata is the longest epic in the world and has been retold for hundreds of

years in various media. The archers above come from a 1990 movie of a dramatic production by British director Peter Brooks. *** The Mahabharata is undoubtedly one of the greatest works of the world, unique in many ways - unique for the deepest philosophic truths, for the wide range of human life covered by the ethics and for the high spiritual stimulus provided in this epic. It is sometimes called the fifth Veda. The Mahabharata though not technically a revelation, is more than a revelation in the nature of its contents. For one thing it contains the greatest spiritual treasure ever known to the world, theBhagavad Gita, which may be rightly called the scripture of the world. This alone will suffice to make the epic the greatest work of the world.

Apparently it is the story of a war between two rival sections of a dynasty, but its very much more. It is the story of evolution of all life, it is a treatise on cosmogony, a code of universal ethics; it is also a history of the human race in its most general sense. All life is rooted in the One Life; the Devas, Rishis, men, beasts, flowers, rocks, why, everything in this manifested universe are all evolved in that One Life. There is a Great Plan in the mind of God (Ishwara Sankalpa) and everything that was, that is and that shall be, happens in accordance with that plan. Human free will is part of that Plan. (source: Facets of Indian Culture - R. Srinivasan Publisher: Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan p.

214-215).

The Mahabharata is the story of the war for the throne between the virtuous Pandavas and their wicked cousins, the Kauravas. It is probably the longest of all the world's epics.

The Mahabharata contains about 100,000 couplets, the subject is borrowed from the heroic legend "The Great Bharata Story of War'. Symbolic of the struggle between the Good and the Evil, it recounts the inexorable rivalry between the two branches of the descendants of Bharata. A terrible war took place, in which kings from all over India and neighboring countries participated, opposing the one hundred Kauravas and their cruel chiefs to the five Pandava brothers, allies of Lord Krishna. For 18 days the battle raged with such violence that the heavens seemed to have disappeared behind a veil of flying arrows. The dead accumulated, the Kaurava leaders perished one after another. Thus the five brothers completed their earthly mission; only Yuddhisthira ascended the heaven alive but all others went there after death. An epic with a sad ending but softened by the Hindu notion of destiny.

The Mahabharata, one of the great sources of Hinduism, is an account of its beliefs. It is, above all, a verse-chronicle of Krishna, the real hero of the epic, an incarnation of god Vishnu, whose divine nature reveals itself in magisterial interventions. There are hundreds of episodes which fruitfully soften the horror of the Kurukshetra war, full of charm, interposed as a form of digression; and they are based on high social ethics. For example, Damayanti's devotion, tinged with unfailing fidelity, succeeds in saving her husband, king Nala, from the demon of gambling. The deep love of Savitri and Satyavan, Behula and Lakshindar persuades the god of death (Yama) to give back their husbands.

But the most admirable and notable is the Bhagavad Gita (the Song of the Lord). In it Krishna, revealing Himself as Bhagavan (Supreme Lord), destroys Arjuna's fear at the moment of going to the battle-field. He teaches him the philosophy of action without attachment, leading to deliverance, by the way of Bhakti, the way of ardent love, of union

with the Blessed One, "participation with Him even in life"! (source: Cultural Heritage of Ancient India - By Sachindra Kumar Maity p 6-8).

Star Wars the movie has similar themes like the Mahabharata. According to Cie Sharp, Yoda (exact word "yoda" is found in Punjabi (sometimes presumed to be from Sanskrit meaning "warrior") concealed himself in the forest, like a Rishi (the venerable sages of Vedic society), or similar to how the Pandavas spent part of their time when they were in exile from the Kauravas from the "Mahabharat", India's foremost epic which features the "Bhagavad Gita". (source: More Hindu Themes in the "Star Wars" Saga - By Cie Sharp).

Horace Hayman Wilson (1786-1860) Eminent Orientalist, in his introduction to Mahabharata, he observed: "By these means, the merit, both poetical and historical, of the Mahabharata are becoming more extensively known; but in the amplitude of it, extant in the numerous traditions, legends and tales which it contains, and in its many didactic and philosophical paragraphs, it offers an accumulation of materials adopted to different tastes, and auxiliary to diverging researches, which must long advantageously engage the attention, and reward the industry, of Sanskrit scholars." (source: Eminent Orientalists: Indian European American - Asian Educational Services. p. 77). ....

Bhima in the battle A painting of Mahabharata war *** The Mahabharata is a treasure house of information on ancient India - it has history, statecraft, religion and mythology all woven into a rich and glorious fabric.

Peter Brooks and his Paris-based theater company produced the Mahabharata, three parts over nine hours in French in 1985. Peter Brooks' Mahabharata at bringing Hinduism to a western society increasingly searching for faddish oriental solutions to life's eternal problems. warm reception to the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics, are the European film and theater audiences. Between 1985 and 1990, these epics have found their way to the public in Europe. They have been top of the bill at the Avignon theater festival. Peter Brooke's Mahabharata, though perhaps not sufficiently true to the original for Indian purists, has been applauded by the viewers, and has been shown on many TV stations also. The BBC has even broadcast the Hindi TV serials.

The Mahabharata copies in China sold out, goes into second edition - "There is a growing desire in China to learn about India's culture and traditions." For a long time, Chinese scholars paid too much attention to the West. Now, there is a growing desire to know Indian civilisation and imbibe its wisdom," Huang Baosheng, who headed the fivemember team of translators at Beijing University. (source: Mahabharata in Chinese sold out, goes into second edition - By Saibal Dasgupta - timesofindia.com November 22, 2006).

Actors: Robert Langdon Lloyd (as Vyasa) Velu Viswanathan as a hermit and Bruce Myers (as Ganesha) in mini series of Mahabharata (1989). (image source: Philadelphia Inquirer - March 23, 1991). *** The Mahabharata describes the ideal polity and culture and religion and may be called the Epic of Society and State. It is called Jaya as it describes the victory of righteousness.

There is scarcely a single human situation that it leaves untouched, and it covered most contingencies that mankind could experience till about a few hundred years ago. The Mahabharata is so intensely human, unlike the Ramayana, which deals with ideal types, that it still has a special resonance in the Indian heart. It is a text that one grows with, revealing deeper meanings as one's life unfolds, and a superlative guide to humans trying to work out their entelechy. Its hold on the imagination will never diminish.

In 1987, theatre artist Peter Brook and Jean-Claude Carriere staged a spectacular 9 hour version of the Mahabharata. It played throughout the world. Shown here a scene between Krishna and Arjuna.

Watch Lost / Submerged city of Dwaraka – The Learning Channel video *** The finale of Mahabharat are impressive. Rishi Vyasa concludes: "Dharma is eternal; life, its joys and sorrow are not. Do not give away the eternal for the temporal values of life."

Do not to others what ye do not wish Done to yourself; and wish for others too What ye desire and long for, for yourself — This is the whole of dharma — heed —it well.

— Veda Vyasa, The Mahabharata.

Top of Page Conclusion According to Thomas Berry, "In quality, in quantity, in significance for man's intellectual, cultural, and spiritual life, this literature in its totality is unsurpassed among all other literary traditions of the world." (source: Religions of India: Hinduism, Yoga, Buddhism - Thomas Berry p. 3-16).

Sir Monier Williams wrote: "There are many graphical passages in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which for beauty of description, cannot be surpassed by anything in Homer....that the diction of Indian epics is more polished, regular and cultivated, and the language altogther in a more advanced stage of development than that of Homer." "Yet there are not wanting indications in the Indian epics of a higher degree of cultivation than that represented in the Homeric poems. The battlefields of the Ramayana and Mahabharata are not made barbarous by wanton cruelties, and the description of Ayodhya and Lanka imply far greater luxury and refinement than those of Sparta and troy."

Ramayana and Mahabharata rise about the Homeric poems also in the fact "that a deep

religious meaning appears to underlie all the narrative, and that the wildest allegory may be intended to conceal a sublime moral, symbolizing the conflict between good and evil, teaching the hopelessness of victory in so terrible a contest with purity of soul, selfabnegation and the subjugation of the passions." (source: Hindu Superiority - By Har Bilas Sarda. p. 240 -242).

Chidambara Kulkarni has written about Vedic literature: "The size and quality of literary works proclaim the greatness of ancient Hindus. Tenacity, hard-work, love of nature, thirst for knowledge, clarity of thought are several features of the Aryas reflected in the literature. The fact that the literary works were learnt and taught by oral method speaks about their devotion to literature, learning and teaching. The Vedic literature is very wide in scope and quite deep in insight and analysis." (source: Ancient Indian History and Culture - By Chidambara Kulkarni Orient Longman Ltd. 1974. p.56).

The beautiful literature of the Hindus took thousands of years to develop. It raised the the status of Indian civilization and culture. Without knowing this one cannot know the inner soul and glory of India.

Speaking only of the vast Vedic literature, the wonderful manifestation of human genius through hearing alone, Maurice Winternitz says: "As the Veda, because of its antiquity, stands at the head of Indian literature no one who has gained an insight into the Vedic literature can understand the spiritual life and culture of the Indians." Rig Vedic literature reveals an advanced civilization pointing to a description of settled people, an organized society and a full grown civilization without reference to a single allusion to migration. (source: Ancient Indian Culture at a Glance - By Swami Tattwananda p. 94). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism Hindu Scriptures tell us how ancient rishis (sages) experienced the divine reality and how they responded with exuberant joy, confidence and a feeling of intimacy. This literature is not primitive but highly developed in its literary form, in its intellectual insight, and in its questioning attitude. The glory of this literature is its imaginative and emotional qualities.

There is a religious mood in the longer hymns to Varuna, an awareness of divine might in the hymn to Indra, a special radiance and loveliness in the hymns to Usha, the goddess of Dawn.

When these texts were translated they won admirers amongst some of the best minds of Europe. In some cases, they even turned the Christian apple-cart. After reading them, Schopenhauer found the Upanishads the "solace" of his life and death, and Kant found the Hindus were "gentle", that "all nations are tolerated amongst them." These texts won the admiration of Emerson, Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Tolstoy, Victor Hugo, Romain Rolland, Hermann Hesse, Henrich Zimmer, Sir Edwin Arnold, Yeats, Carl Jung, Toynbee and many others. The first harbinger of American religious freedom in Masssachusetts, Henry David Thoreau is said to have come across a fresh translation of the Gita by Burnouf but certainly the one by Charles Jones which had just been published those days.

In disillusionment of Christianity, he wanted to carry his new religion to the end of the earth. His new religion was the Gita.

H. G. Wells has remarked: "The history of India for many centuries had been happier, less fierce, and more dreamlike than any other history. In these favorable conditions, they built a character - meditative and peaceful and a "nation of philosophers such as could nowhere have existed except in India."

(source: The Outline of History - By H. G. Wells p. 855).

Alain Danielou observes that: "The sheer volume of Sanskrit literature is immense, and it remains largely unexplored. Probably we shall never know well our own history over the past five millennia until this immense reservoir of Sanskrit documents have been tapped.

Many text disappear every year, since the manuscripts are highly perishable in India's extreme climate, and the teams of scholars who once used to recopy damaged manuscripts for the libraries have almost entirely disappeared." (source: Virtue, Success, Pleasure, Liberation - By Alain Danielou p. 16-17).

The Veda, taken as a whole, is the main source or the fountain-head of all Indian culture.

Its philosophical speculations lead to the Vedanta. Its forms of meditation and prayer leas to the Bhakti doctrine, its rituals and sacrifices lead to to the Purava Mimamsa school, its accounts of creation lead to the cosmology and pyschology of samkhya, its descriptions of religious ecstasy lead to the Sadhanas of Yoga and its metaphysical disquisitions lead to the reasoning of Nyaya and Vaiseshika.

Moreover, the Rishis and kings are the starting points of Itihasas and Puranas, and the social customs that it mentions give rise to the Dharma Sastras. Thus all our secondary scriptures - the Smritis, the Itihasas, the Puranas, the Agamas, the Darsanas - are only developments of the 'Veda.'

And, just as all our scriptures have a common source, they have a common aim - to make man a perfect being, god-like and one with him.

To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati. Refer to Stotra Rathnas.

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Powerful Memory and Smart Drugs The ancient bards and rishis of India didn't need Smart Drugs. These vast epics, and the four 'books' of the Vedas, were originally transmitted by a phenomenal human chain of memory, and only written down centuries after their actual compilation. The early phase of the Vedic tradition in India is dated between 10,000 - 7,000 BCE. This oral tradition still exists in India today.

The Rishis who recited the great and long epics (The Ramayana and The Mahabharata) did not need any "smart" drugs to keep their memories powerful. Their well-toned memories bespoke tomes: The Rig Veda and the Mahabharata, among thousands of hours of other recited epics. (source: Seeking "Smart" Drugs - Exploring Intelligence - By Scientific American November 1999 issue p. 39-43).

To download Hindu Scriptures - refer to Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati.

Watch video - Brahmins in India have become a minority The collection of hymns and the immense mass of literature were preserved by means of oral tradition only. Vedic hymns are used today at Hindu wedding ceremonies, in an astonishing example of continuous tradition. The feat of memorizing and handing down a vast amount of oral literature is a hallmark of Hinduism.

The Vedas were handed down from mouth to mouth from a period of unknown antiquity.

When the Vedas were composed, there was probably no system of writing prevalent in India. But such was the zeal of the Brahmins, who got the whole Vedic literature by heart

by hearing it from their preceptors, that it has been transmitted most faithfully to us through the course of more than 4,000 years with little or no interpolations. This is unique monument to their tremendous memory. One of the conspicuous feature in ancient Indian education as it used to be, was the training of memory. Education, was by means of oral instruction and the learning by heart of classic literature. The learned men did not rely upon his library, but upon his memory alone. The memory thus trained and relied upon was capable of marvelous feats; even now there are men who know by heart hundreds and thousands of verses of Sanskrit literature which they have learnt once and never forget. (source: Essays on National Idealism - By Ananda K. Coomraswamy Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.1981 p.109).

Refer to Rig Veda among 38 new heritage items in UNESCO culture list - Thirty manuscripts of the ancient Hindu text Rig Veda dating from 1800 to 1500 BC are among 38 new items that have been added to the United Nations heritage list to help preserve them for posterity.

For more refer to chapter on Greater India: Suvarnabhumi and Sacred Angkor Top of Page

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All of humanity converges in one person – Arjuna — to hear the divine instruction disclosed in the Bhagavad Gita. However, to understand, apply, and disseminate this teaching, the entirety of humanity diverges to produce a vast spectrum of multiple translations and interpretations. The profusion of various modern interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita was anticipated and even encouraged by the Gita’s first English translator, Sir Charles Wilkins: “…it was thought better to leave many of the most difficult passages for the exercise of the reader’s own judgments than to mislead him by such wild opinions as no one syllable of the text could authorize.” Prior to elaborating on the most prominent modern interpretations, we will position the Bhagavad Gita within the broader picture of Hindu tradition, discussing the commentaries of the three great Vedantists: Sankara Acarya, Madhva Acarya and Ramanuja Acarya. From Vedantic representations we will proceed to Neo-Vedantic, with particular reference to the contributions of Swami Vivekananda and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The Bhagavad Gita, as the Doctrine of Activism, will be explored in the context of Hindu nationalism, with particular reference to Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Aurobindo Ghosh. Our discourse on allegorical interpretation of the Gita will be based on Gandhi’s commentaries. Finally, in addition to exploring

various interpretations within the Hindu tradition, we will explore selected representations of the Gita in the West, such as those of Alen Ginsberg, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, etc., with particular reference to Swami Bhaktivedanta’s presentation of the Gita and his critique of others’ approaches. The Gita’s global presence will be further addressed by exploring its role in contemporary media. In addition to acquainting students with a range of modern interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita, this module aims to explore reasons behind these divergent understandings by considering theological backgrounds, socio-political contexts, and dynamics of religious insider/outsider reading of a text. Simultaneously, the module will encourage students to consider the relevance of these interpretations for the Hindu tradition today. This module supplements the Canonical Bhakti Sastri 1 module and serves as a preparation for the Modern Hinduism module. As assessment for this module, students will write a short (2000-word) essay. ................

Introducing Srimad Bhagavad Gita - A User's Manual For Every Day Living

“Live in the world but don’t be of the world. Live in the world but don’t let the world live within you. Remember it is all a beautiful dream, because everything is changing and disappearing. If you become detached you will be able to see how people are attached to trivia and how much they are suffering. And you will laugh at yourself because you were also in the same boat before”. - Osho

Contents

The Gita’s wide appeal What is the Gita?

Story of the Mahabharata Central Theme of the Gita Over-view of the Gita Main concepts of the Gita Why Study The Gita?

Thoughts for self evaluation

The Gita’s wide appeal

The Bhagavad Gita was first translated into English by Charles Wilkins in 1785 and published by the British East India Company with an introduction by Lord Warren Hastings, the first British Governor-General of India, in which he prophetically wrote: “The writers of the Indian philosophies will survive when the British Dominion in India shall long have ceased to exist, and when the sources which it yielded of wealth and power are lost to remembrance”. He further wrote “I hesitate not to pronounce the Gita’s performance of great originality, of sublimity of conception, reasoning and diction almost unequaled and a single exception amongst all the known religions of mankind”.

The Gita deals with human problems in a human way. That is why it has a tremendous appeal. It has inspired the human mind in India for centuries and today it casts its spell on millions of people across the various parts of the world. It remains the most translated work in the Globe. The modern technology like the Internet has further increased its reputation by carrying its message to every nook and corner of the world. A mere click on the word ‘Bhagavad Gita’ in the Google search engine throws about 963,000 results.

An incredible reach for any scripture!

Among the great and extraordinary people who were inspired and found their outlook changed by the timeless wisdom of the Gita are thinkers, writers, scientists and philosophers like Mahatma Gandhi, B.G.Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, Albert Einstein, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Herman Hesse, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Aldous Huxley, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Annie Besant, Robert Oppenheimer Sir Edwin Arnold and Carlyle to name but a few.

In India it was left to Adi Sankara who lived in the 8th century A.D. to reveal the greatness of the Gita to the world. He retrieved it from the mighty tomes of the epic, the Mahabharata, and wrote a brilliant commentary on it. It is this commentary which prevails as a classic text even today. Later great acharyas like Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha and others came out with their own commentaries which are popular among their followers. In modern times Sant Jnanesvar, B.G.Tilak, Aurobindo contributed their original thinking on the text.

Despite this enormous popularity, the Bhagavad Gita remains a less understood but a better known text; people know more about it than what is it about. On the analogy of what the Bhagavad Gita says in Chapter 2, Verse 29 some look upon the book as marvelous, a scripture of extraordinary or mysterious value, some others speak of the book as wonderful. And still others though hearing its teachings do not comprehend its wonderful significance!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna also says in the Gita (7.3) “Among thousands of men , one by chance aspires for perfection; even among those successful aspirants only one by chance knows Me in essence.” A question arises why such enlightened persons are so rare in our midst and why such an achievement is not within the reach of everyone.

Vedanta being a subjective science rarely one tries to know how to remove one's weaknesses and develop inner strength much less one tries to live up to the ideals propounded by it and bring about consequent re-adjustments in one's life. Very few feel this urge to evolve themselves and most of us do not even find the need for self improvement. We grope along by the voice of tradition, authority, herd-instinct and group-mentality. Of those who strive to see the truth and reach the goal, only a few succeed. Of those who gain the sight, not even one learns to live by the sight.

No wonder once a teacher wanting to educate a child about the Gita asked him “Do you know Gita”? The child replied “Yes, I know, that is the name of my next door aunty”.

The child obviously heard of Gita and had his own meaning of it in his mind and remained happy about it. That is the case with most of us today including the large mass of modern educated sections. Then where do we go from here? Again, the Gita says by constant learning and practice one can certainly improve oneself. Let us attempt to heed that advice through this series of essays

What is the Gita?

The dictionary meaning of the word ‘Gita’ is a song or poem containing an inspired doctrine and the word ‘Bhagavat’ means a blessed or adorable or venerable or divine One. Hence Srimad Bhagavad Gita is variously called as ‘The Song of God’, ‘The Divine Song’, ‘A Song of Fortune’, ‘The Lord’s Song’, ‘The Holy Song of God’, ‘The Song of the Lord’, Gudartha Deepika, Gita Rahasya, Jnaneshwari, Bhavaarthadipika, Sadhaka Sanjeevani and so on. The noted English poet, journalist and a Principal of the Government Sanskrit College at Pune, Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904) called his famous poetic version of the Bhagavad Gita as ‘The Song Celestial’. The Bhagavad Gita's another title is ‘moksha sastra’ or ‘Scripture of Liberation’. However, it is more popularly known as “The Gita”.

The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu scripture, considered among the most important texts in the history of literature and philosophy. It finds a place in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. It comprises of 18 chapters spread out in 700 verses. Its author is Veda Vyasa, the compiler of the Mahabharata who wrote this epic through the hands of the Lord of Wisdom, Sri Ganesha. Its teachings are considered timeless and the exact time of revelation of the scripture is considered of little spiritual significance. The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna, who is revered as a manifestation of God, The Bhagvan, Parabrahman.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra before the start of the war between the two clans

of brothers - the Kauravas and the Pandavas.

Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Bhagavan Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different Vedantic concepts. This has led to the Gita being described as one of the prasthana traya, the triumvirate of the canons of Hindu Philosophy, the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras.

It is considered as a concise, practical, self-contained guide to play the game of life.

During the discourse, Krishna reveals His identity as the Supreme Being (Svayam Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of His divine universal form.

The Gita itself tells us about what it is. At the end of the first chapter we find a narration reading as under: om tat sat iti srimad bhagavadgeetaasu upanishatsu brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade arjuna vishaada yogo naama prathamo'dyaayah|| “Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the first discourse entitled: The Yoga of the Despondency of Arjuna�

The narration as given above at the end of the first chapter occurs also at the end of all the other subsequent chapters, the only difference being the respective title of the chapters. This narration is called `sankalpa vakya' meaning an epilogue for the chapter. It reveals in a very concise form the glory and greatness of the Gita and states the theme of the concerned chapter.

The meaning of this recital is as under: 1. Om Tat Sat: A designation for the Absolute enabling everybody to turn towards Godhead.

2. Gita is called: Upanishad because it contains the essence of all the Upanishads which are the revelations of the ancient sages.

3. Brahma Vidya or the science of the Eternal because it teaches about the changeless Reality behind the ever-changing phenomenal world of perceptions, emotions and thoughts.

4. Yoga Shastra because it is a scripture that explains the technique of right living and provides a practical guide to work it out in the form of Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga.

5. Samvad because it is in the form of a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, the Divine and the human, the former teaching the latter how to function successfully and efficiently in a community.

6. This chapter is entitled `Arjuna Vishaada Yogah' or the Yoga of despondency of Arjuna.

Story of the Mahabharata

In the north of India, there flourished a kingdom with its headquarters at Hastinapur.

King Pandu was ruling the kingdom after his father's death, as his elder brother, Dhritarashtra, was born blind and therefore not qualified for the rulership according to the tenets of that age.

King Pandu had five sons who were known as Pandavas. Dhritarashtra had one hundred sons who were called as Kauravas, the eldest of whom was Duryodhana. Bhishma was the uncle of Pandu and Dhritarashtra.

After Pandu's death his children, Pandavas, were brought up and educated along with Kauravas under the supervision of Bhishma and patronage of Dhritarashtra. Drona was a skillful teacher who taught them all the techniques of warfare. Pandavas were intelligent and brave. Within a short time they could master the art of warfare.

Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas, succeeded his father as the king.

Duryodhana was jealous of the Pandavas. When Yudhishtira was proclaimed a king Duryodhana could not keep quiet and watch. He employed all foul means to destroy Pandavas and every time he tried to kill them he met with failure. On Bhishma's advice the kingdom was divided into two parts - the better one with Hastinapur as capital was taken by the Kauravas while the Pandavas took the other half and built a new beautiful capital called Indraprastha for themselves.

Dhritarashtra was equally affectionate towards his sons and Pandavas but had the weakness to be sympathetic towards his eldest son's sorrows and disappointments.

Once Duryodhana invited Yudhishtira for a game of dice wherein the former with the help of his cunning and deceitful uncle, Sakuni, defeated Yudhishtira by using all fraudulent means. As a result, Yudhishtira lost not only all his kingdom and possessions but also Draupadi, the wife of all the Pandava brothers. Draupadi was humiliated by the Kaurava brothers to such an extent that an attempt was made to disrobe her in public.

Her honor was saved by Bhagavan Sri Krishna, a great family friend of the Pandavas.

Finally it was settled that Pandavas should live in the forest for twelve years in exile and further one year incognito untraced by any one. After successfully completing these thirteen years of ordeal when the Pandavas claimed their kingdom Duryodhana refused to part with even that much little land as could be covered by the point of a needle.

The good offices of Sri Krishna to bring sanity to Duryodhana who was intoxicated with power and greed proved futile. The Pandavas were left with no alternative but to take up arms against Kauravas to regain their kingdom lost through tricks, treachery and chicanery.

A war between Pandavas and Kauravas became inevitable and the preparations for the epic battle started. Both the sides mobilized their troops and took their respective positions in the battlefield at Kurukshetra, near modern Delhi.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna was the charioteer of Arjuna, the mightiest of the Pandava brothers. Arjuna asked Sri Krishna to place their chariot between the two armies to enable him to have a glimpse of all those with whom he had to fight. Although till that time he was in full fighting spirit, when he saw his teachers, elders, brothers, relatives and friends standing before him ready for the fight, his determination gave way to weakness of head and heart. He lost his enthusiasm to fight and told Sri Krishna that he did not want to wage the battle against his seniors, relations and friends for the sake of a paltry kingdom.

When Arjuna refused to fight, Sri Krishna gave him a good peace of advice enlightening him upon where his duty lay. This marvelous advice delivered by The Bhagavan in the battlefield at Kurukshetra is the immortal poem, the song divine, the glorious SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA which epitomizes the whole gamut of knowledge contained in all the Scriptures.

Sage Vyasa offered Dhritarashtra the power of sight which would enable him to see the events of war. Unwilling to see the inevitable massacre of his sons, the blind king desired to know the full details of the war. To fulfill Dhritarashtra's request Vyasa bestowed Sanjaya, the trusted minister of Dhritarashtra, with the divine intuitive vision by which he could know not only the incidents of the battlefield but also the ideas in the minds of the warriors.

After ten days of war, Bhishma, the commander of the Kaurava army was severely wounded and thrown off his chariot. When Sanjaya informed Dhritarashtra about this incident the blind king became very sad and asked him to tell him all the details of the war. The reporting of Sanjaya about the events of war including the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna at the battlefield is contained in the Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata wherein The Gita text finds place. The Gita opens with the question of the blind king to Sanjaya asking him what happened on the battlefield when the two armies faced each other in the battle formation.

Central Theme of the Gita

The Bhagvad Gita can be studied from different angles such as a historical document, a spiritual treatise, a scriptural text for daily chanting and prayer, a sublime poetry, an exposition of Grammar and meter, or a management manual, depending on one’s own outlook and purpose.

The objective here is to study it as a spiritual text and try to find out its main theme. Our ancient Rishis have given us a six-point test to determine the main theme of a text. This is called‘sadvidvidha tatparya nirnaya linga’. In the light of this six-factor test let us look at the Gita to discover its central theme.

The 1st point is called upakrama and upasamhara - the beginning and conclusion of a text. The crux of the subject in the text starts with Arjuna’s confusion, his acceptance of the delusion and surrender to the Lord as a sishya with a request to teach him what is the best for him. The text ends with his statement that all his doubts were cleared, his delusion is gone and he regained his memory of the Self. This kind of beginning and end of the text shows that the Bhagavad Gita contains the Knowledge that removes the delusion and bestows the Supreme Good.

Even from the teacher’s view point, the text starts from Sri Krishna telling Arjuna that he is grieving for that which should not be grieved for thereby explaining how sorrow is borne of delusion. It ends by asking Arjuna whether the delusion had gone. This makes it clear that the entire purpose of the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna was aimed at removing spiritual ignorance which is the cause of delusion. Thus the removal of sorrow and delusion (soka moha nivritti) is the main theme of the Gita.

The 2nd point is called abhayasa - repetition and emphasis in the text. The 2nd chapter gives ample evidence to this aspect. Krishna frequently tells Arjuna not to grieve and puts forward the reasons for that view from several angles like the true knowledge, duty, ignominy etc. Similarly, the concept of sthitaprajna has been highlighted in several ways at various places. This shows imparting Self-Knowledge is the key note in the text.

The 3rd point is called apurvata - the novelty or uniqueness of the theme. Sri Krishna calls this Self-Knowledge as a secret, guhyam because normal extroverted minds cannot grasp it and hence very few succeed in knowing it. Similarly, moderation in all walks of our lives has been stressed at many places. The teachings of the Gita are thus unique.

The 4th point is phalam or the fruit or the end result of the study of the text. Removal of sorrow and confusion and attainment of clear thinking and supreme knowledge enlightenment - are the end result of the study of the text.

The 5th point is arthavada - positive praise of the subject and negative condemnation of the opposite. We find many slokas in the text extolling the supreme Self-Knowledge and

condemning spiritual ignorance. Thus attaining the Supreme Knowledge is the goal of the Gita.

The 6th and the last point is upapatti - illustration and reasoning. We find in the text that Krishna has been giving a lot of logical explanations and reasoning to convince Arjuna about his teachings. He uses profusely the word ‘tasmat’ meaning ‘therefore’. His arguments are given from many standpoints, the main goal of all His efforts being elimination of sorrow and delusion through Self-Knowledge. The nature of Self is also revealed through examples and reasoning. These indicate the Supreme knowledge ( tattva jnanam) as the main subject matter of the Gita.

Therefore Self-Knowledge (atma jnana) which eliminates our ignorance and the consequent problems created and bestows the ultimate good for all of us (shreyas) is the core theme of the Gita.

Over-view of the Gita

The entire Bhagavad Gita can be divided into five topics viz.

1. Identifying the problem (covered in the 1st and the starting portions of the 2nd chapters of the Gita).

2. Finding a solution (covered in the major portion of the 2nd chapter and reiterated in the 7th, 9th and 13th chapters.

3. Implementing the solution (This theme is dealt with in the 3rd, 5th, 12th and 18th chapters).

4. Understanding the values of life (stated in many places in the Gita and particularly in the 16th chapter) and 5. Achieving perfection (elaborated in the 2nd, 5th, and 14th chapters).

Arjuna's misunderstanding, his inability to see things as they are and consequent grief and self-pity just at the crucial moment of war are the problems. The solution to them can be short term which will only be of temporary nature or long term which will be of permanent nature. The Gita offers a long term solution with which anybody can face any situation in life at any time anywhere. This spiritual solution teaches us to look at life as a whole and live a whole life. Finding a solution is just not enough. We must know how to implement it. The Gita provides us with a practical guidance that helps us to understand how to live according to the guidelines offered.

But living a life according to the guidelines offered is also not adequate unless it is spiced with certain basic vision and values. If a person’s vision of life is limited to mundane happiness derived from the senses, he will merely spend his life time in eating, drinking and making merry. His value system will revolve round making money by any

means to satisfy his never ending needs. But the value system of a person with a philanthropic bent or an animal lover or an environmentalist or spiritually oriented will be entirely different. The Gita provides us with such an enlarged vision of life laying the foundation for a sense of fulfillment.

Finally, the Gita gives us the vision of a person who has gained the supreme Knowledge and lives anchored in it. One who faces problems and crisis in life gains the vision of Truth, puts it into practice, and lives according to that value system. He becomes a jivan mukta, liberated in this very life. He is called a sthita prajna and the Gita gives us a vivid description of his nature.

Such an analytical understanding of the various topics in the Bhagavad Gita makes it easy for us to study it fruitfully and gives us a ready reference point to check out the slokas (verses) according to our requirement.

Main concepts of the Gita

The main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad Gita is the explanation of five basic concepts.

1. Jiva, the individual soul or the living being 2. Jagat, the universe he lives in or nature or matter 3. Jagadishvara, the creator of the universe or the relationship between Jiva, Jagat and Jagadishvara.

4. Dharma (Duty in accordance with Divine law) 5. Kaala (Time)

Supreme Controller and the

Krishna counsels Arjuna on the greater idea of dharma, or universal harmony and duty.

He begins with the tenet that the soul (Atman) is eternal and immortal. Any 'death' on the battlefield would involve only the shedding of the body, whereas the soul is permanent.

In order to clarify his point, Krishna expounds the various Yoga processes and understanding of the true nature of the universe. He describes the yogic paths of devotional service -Bhakti Yoga, action - Karma Yoga, meditation - Dhyana Yoga or Raja Yoga and knowledge - Jnana Yoga.

Fundamentally, the Bhagavad Gita proposes that true enlightenment comes from going beyond identification with the temporal ego, the 'False Self', the ephemeral world, so that one identifies with the truth of the immortal self, the absolute soul or Atman.

Through detachment from the material sense of ego, the Yogi, or follower of a particular path of Yoga, is able to transcend his/her illusory mortality and attachment to the material world and enters the realm of the Supreme.

Krishna does not propose that the physical world must be abandoned or neglected.

Rather, one's life on Earth must be lived in accordance with greater laws and truths; one must embrace one's temporal duties whilst remaining mindful of timeless reality, acting for the sake of service without consideration for the results thereof. Such a life would naturally lead towards stability, happiness and, ultimately, enlightenment.

In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna refers to the war about to take place as ‘Dharma Yuddha’, meaning a righteous war for the purpose of justice. He also states that he incarnates in each age (yuga) to establish righteousness in the world.

Why Study The Gita?

Srimad Bhagavad Gita has been a source of inspiration and enlightenment for generations. The message of the Gita is not merely a general spiritual philosophy or ethical doctrine but it has a bearing upon the practical aspects in the application of such principles in our day-to-day lives. It is indeed "An Users' Manual for the Practice of the Art of Right Living".

The centuries old Bhagavad Gita continues to be the most relevant beacon light for all of us today. The modern man, like Arjuna, is at the crossroads where the focus is more on improving the Standard of Living rather than the Standard of Life, more on the Stock Exchange Index than on the Human Development Quotient, more on the Cost of Living than on the Quality of Life. This has resulted in his disorientation and imbalance in an environment of shifting values. While science aims to enhance the comfort of human life, spirituality teaches us how to be comfortable with what we have. That is the difference. In this scenario, the Gita is the only source of strength for the development of an integrated personality, a complete man, within us.

The Gita teaches how to achieve harmony with divinity in the midst of disharmony by subduing all outward energies and remaining in equanimity with pairs of opposites like pain and pleasure, aversion and attraction, success and failure etc. The focus of the Gita is moderation and its aim is the total surrender of man before the Supreme while continuing to perform his duties in the spirit of Yoga.

The problem that is facing us today is that while the world is coming closer physically it is drifting apart mentally and emotionally. Hence all the conflicts and violence,

destruction and damage across the globe. The urgent need, therefore, is the reconciliation and reconditioning of the human mindset, to inculcate a global vision and bring about the universal brotherhood.

The Gita is specially suited for the purpose, as it attempts to bring together varied and apparently antithetical forms of the consciousness and emphasizes the root conceptions of humanity which are neither ancient nor modern, belonging neither to the east nor the west, but eternal and universal.

Its beauty and sublimity lie in its everlasting relevance to the daily problems of human life, either occidental or oriental. It prescribes the methods which are within the reach of all. It has a message of solace, freedom, salvation, perfection and peace for all human beings. The more you study it with devotion and faith, the more you will acquire deep knowledge, penetrative insight and clear, right thinking. It is indeed a recipe for sane living for every man and woman across the world.

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Which author's commentary on Bhagavad Gita gives importance to Karma Yoga?

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Best Answer: Adi Sankara's commentary gives importance to Jnana Yoga, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhva give importance to Bhakti Yoga. But only one commentary holds karma yoga in prime importance. It is Lokmanya Tilak's Gita Rahasya.

Edit: Adi Guru Shankara's commentary on Bhagavad Gita, should note that the scheme of things for him is something like this: a) performance of scriptural duties b) Dedicating them to the Supreme Lord through the feeling of Bhakti. c) Complete renunciation ie karma sanyaas. d) Jnana destroying avidya (See Swami Gambhirananda's preface to the translation of Sankara's Gita Bhashya). In Ch 18.66 Sri Sankara interprets the verse 'abandoning all rites and duties' as a general message for karma sanyaas. It could not be applied to particular individuals specially Arjuna since it was his duty to fight being a kshatriya. The core of Gita for him is karma sanyaas or steadfastness of knowledge of the self. Karma and Jnana cannot be practiced together for him since karma presupposes the false identification of the self with the nonself and jnana is the opposite of this. Both cannot be combined. Since karma should not be completely abandoned too one must perform them with even mindedness that would ultimately lead to chitta shuddhi. When one attains chitta suddhi one acquires fourfold qualification to initiate inquiry into Brahman and practice steadfastness in knowledge of the self ie karma sanyaas. (See Brahma Sutra Bhashya 1.1.1). According to Sri Ramanuja the jiva is subject to the bondage of a beginningless series of karma. Having compassion on him, Brahman creates the world so that the jiva can free himself from the bondage of matter. The means of his liberation are laid down in the scriptures. Broadly speaking there are two ways towards release. They are bhakti or devotion and prapatti or surrender. The former is reached through Karma and Jnana Yoga. Karma Yoga is the performance of duties as laid down in the sacred texts and renouncing the result of the action is devotion to Isvara. This leads to purification of mind. With such a mind one can meditate on the difference between oneself and prakriti and consider oneself as existing for the sake of the Lord. This is the stage of Jnana Yoga.

These steps help in generating Bhakti which is defined as a continuous stream of remembrance of the Lord. When this kind of meditation or upasana culminates in the direct vision of the Lord, it leads to mukti. However this is a cumbersome and long way to mukti. There is a shorter route through surrender or prapatti (BG 18.66). It is defined as being in conformity with the will of Isvara. These are the only two ways to liberation of the jiva. Tilak empasizes that Gita begins with Arjuna's dilemma whether to fight the battle or not and it ends with his resolve to perform his duty and fight the battle.

Consequently it is karma yoga which is at the core of Gita. He believes that both jnana and bhakti have been prescribed as an aid to karma yoga and not as ends in themselves. Gita for him combines the three methods without giving an overweightage to either of them. While Sri Sankara repudiates the theory of combination of karma and jnana, Tilak insists that it is jnana karma samuccaya that is the teaching of Gita. It is not karma used in the Mimaamsik sense that he supports as karma for them is ritualistic action. Tilak is against the interpretation of Sri Sankara where he indicates the prime importance of karma sanyaas. For the former karma sanyaas has no place in Gita. For Sri Sankara karma yoga is an indirect means to liberation and Jnana is the direct means for liberation and according to Tilak's interpretation Karma Yoga in alliance with jnana and bhakti is the direct means to liberation.It is for this reason that Tilak's Gita Rahasya is the only commentary that holds the centrality of karma yoga and believes that both Bhakti and Jnana would become meaningful only in the context of karma yoga.

Raghav ¡ 4 years ago 1 Thumbs up

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The oldest and most influential medieval commentary was that of the founder of the Vedanta school of extreme 'non-dualism", Shankara (788–820 A. D.), also known as Shankaracharya. Shankara's commentary was based on a recension of the Gita containing 700 verses, and that recension has been widely adopted by others.

There is not universal agreement that he was the actual author of the commentary on the Bhagavad Gita that is attributed to him. A key commentary for the "modified non-dualist" school of Vedanta was written by Ramanujacharya who lived in the eleventh century A.D. Ramanujacharya's commentary chiefly seeks to show that the discipline of devotion to God

(Bhakti yoga) is the way of salvation.

The commentary by Madhva, whose dates are given either also known as Madhvacharya. Madhva's school of dualism asserts that there is, in a quotation provided by Winthrop Sargeant, "an eternal and complete distinction between the Supreme, the many souls, and matter and its divisions." Madhva is also considered to be one of the great commentators reflecting the viewpoint of the Vedanta school Srilasri Prabhupada gave comments on all yogas which is useful now. There are many commentators for Bhagavat Gita. But, Adi Shankara's commentary takes important place on karma yoga and other details.

Source(s):my view. haritha....!!! ¡ 4 years ago 2 Thumbs up

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I'm agreeing the answer of Harita ji, who gave very clear answer on Adi Shankara's commentary which gives importance to Karma Yoga.

A commentary is an elaboration of matters. The commentary is like notes of lesson. The commentaries makes to understand the subject. The Karma Kanda which deals with sacrifices or ceremonial rites. The different Acharyas (founders of different schools of thought) have given their own interpretations of the Sutras to establish their own doctrines. The Bhashya of Sri Sankara on Brahma Sutras is known as Sariraka Bhashya. The five great Acharyas: Sri Sankara the exponent of Kevala Advaita or uncompromising monism, Sri Ramanuja the exponent of Visishtadvaita or qualified monism, Sri Nimbarka the exponent of Bhedabheda-vada, Sri Madhva the exponent of strict

Dvaitism or Dvaita-vada and Sri Vallabha the exponent of Suddhadvaita-vada or pure monism agree that Brahman is the cause of this world and that knowledge of Brahman leads to Moksha or the final emancipation, which is the goal of life. They also emphatically declared that Brahman can be known only through the scriptures and not through mere reasoning. But they differ amongst themselves as to the nature of this Brahman, the relation of the individual soul to Brahman, the state of the soul in the state of final emancipation, the means of attaining It and Its causality with reference to this universe.

According to Sri Sankara, there is one Absolute Brahman who is Sat-chitananda, who is of an absolutely homogeneous nature. The appearance of this world is due to Maya - the illusory power of Brahman which is neither Sat nor Asat. This world is unreal. This world is a Vivarta or apparent modification through Maya. Brahman appears as this universe through Maya.

Brahman is the only reality. The individual soul has limited himself through Avidya and identification with the body and other vehicles. Through his selfish actions he enjoys the fruits of his actions.

The one point which Sri Sankara is never tired of repeating in all his writings is that jnana-yoga is the standpoint according to which knowledge itself is the means to release (jnanam eva yogah), and that it therefore, being unique, has to be distinguished from karma-yoga. With a view to distinguish jnana-yoga from karma-yoga, Sri Krishna says: "In the world a two fold path was taught by me, 0 sinless one: that of the Sankhyas by devotion to knowledge, and that of the Yogins by devotion to action."

"The knower of Brahman attains the highest". It should not be thought that Sankara either ignores or minimises the importance of karma-yoga. The performance of karma by those who are qualified for it is useful in that it is conducive to the attainment of the purification of the mind (chitta-suddhi).

Karma purifies the mind and the knowledge of the Self is manifested only in such a pure mind. That is why Sankara says: "Devotion to action is a means to the end, not directly, but only as leading to devotion to knowledge; the latter which is attained by means of devotion to action, leads to the goal directly without extraneous help." (Sankara's Commentary on the Gita, 3-3) Sankara fully recognizes the importance of karma-yoga in its own way, he is emphatic that the attainment of liberation which is the supreme good falls directly within the scope of jnana-yoga alone, and that nothing can vouchsafe for us this goal excepting the immediate and direct knowledge of BrahmanAtman. It is necessary at this stage to refer to the view of the Mimamsakas who think that karma is the means to liberation. They argue that the import of the entire Veda is in karma. ............................

ﾧ ﾧ Some Reflections On The Influence Of The Jnaneshvari On Bal Gangadhar Tilak's Gita-Rahasya And Its Relevance In Our Time Hiltrud Rüstau, Ph.D. sc.

ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ

More than 35 years ago my teacher Walter Ruben, a well-known Sanskritist and the than director of the Institute for India Studies at the Humboldt University Berlin where I was working as a young research scholar one day very much excited appeared in the Institute telling me that he had come across a very interesting book which I should read immediately. It was the Sri Bhagavadgita Rahasya or Karma-Yoga-Sostra of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

In those days it was by no means common at German universities to deal with 19th/20th India, but according to Walter Ruben the main aim of studies on ancient India should be to contribute to a better understanding of contemporary India. Therefore besides his special interest in ancient Indian philosophy he was also very much interested in modern Indian philosophical thoughts of which in his opinion the 'Gita-Rahasya' formed a very important specimen.

Of course, I knew Tilak as an outstanding figure of modern Indian history: He belonged to the group of orthodox Chitpavan Brahmins of Maharashtra, was an Indian patriot and a leading politician of his time, closely connected with the slowly originating circles of Indian industrialists and also with the beginning of the Indian trade union movement; a renowned scholar in the field of Indology and a philosopher in his own rights and besides this also a leading journalist and educator. Therefore I followed willingly Walter Ruben's advice and read Tilak's commentary on the Gita and his translation.

It was not at all an easy task for me: the vast knowledge of the author of the 19th century European and North American philosophy, especially in the field of ethics, combined with a comprehensive description and critical evaluation of the Indian philosophical heritage of at least 2 500 years - all this taken together makes the study of the Gita Rahasya a very demanding one. But what struck me most was his interpretation of the Bhagavadgita. It is quite evident that the discussion of morality plays a very important if not the decisive role in the Gita, but to call it a 'a treatise on right or proper action (Karma-Yoga) containing the philosophy of morality, based on brahmavidya as Tilak did seemed to me quite new. But what mattered most was that Tilak did not accept the traditional understanding according to which in the Gita three or four paths to liberation had been discussed and explained, namely

Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

In the opinion of Tilak the crucial question of the Gita was 'to act or not to act', that means whether one should renounce all actions after one had reached the realisation of the Divine or continue to act according one's duty - svadharma - with the aim of lokasa graha - the well-being of the world - which was answered by the Gita in favour of activity.

Tilak's Gita-Rahasya, written in the time between November and April 1910/11 in the Mandalay prison is according to Aurobindo the strongest and most comprehensive work of Indian spirituality in which the importance of human action for the sake of humanity is justified, something which Aurobindo called indispensable to the idealism of the modern spirit. He wrote on Tilak: 'His work on the Gita, no mere commentary, but an original criticism and presentation of ethical truths, is a monumental work though he did not share Tilak's opinion regarding the general content of the Gita as being a treatise of ethics: '...the Gita is not a book of practical ethics, but of the spiritual life. Tilak in his commentary expressed his conviction that the Gita demands action even if one has reached the supreme unity by jnana or bhakti in order to support the further development of the world. Therefore he wanted to overcome the traditional understanding of the Gita as containing only moksa marga.

In order to be able for unattached action, i.e., to act without being bound by the desire for the fruit of action one should aim at helping the creator and dedicate his action to him as a sacrifice. For illustrating this kind of unattached action Tilak used a simile: you do not plant the trees the fruits of which you eat - this was done by the former generation - just so you do something for the next generation without being able to harvest the fruits of this action.

In the framework of his highly interesting analysis of happiness and suffering Tilak discussed also an important problem of the Gita: Does the demand for unattached action really imply to give up also all desire? There is no doubt upon the question that in the Gita it was convincingly shown that it is impossible to be even for a single moment without any action. Tilak went into further detail and showed that it is not possible to act without motive - every action has a motive and a result - and that the virtue of contentment has its validity for Brahmins, e.g., regarding wealth but not with regard to knowledge. Dissatisfaction in general has not to be condemned: 'But not the dissatisfaction which is at the root of the desire not to remain stagnant in the position which has fallen to one's lot, but to bring it to as excellent a condition as possible by gradually improving it more and more, with as peaceable and equable a frame of mind as possible, is not a dissatisfaction which ought to be discountenanced. In the opinion of Tilak discontent is the seed of all future prosperity and even of release without which the world is condemned to perish. Therefore the demand for unattached action has to be understood according to Tilak as proper control of the mind, one should not be disappointed if the aim of the action cannot be reached immediately. In order to avoid suffering the attachment to the motive and to the result of an action should be given up, that means to give up all thinking determined by 'egoness' and 'mineness'. All this Tilak said was taught in the Gita, where it was told how to act, mentioning equability as the most decisive feature of a proper action.

In the view of Tilak action was given by Krishna not the status of a means for the purification of the mind in order to be ready for knowledge, on the contrary, it was the path by itself leading to the supreme goal. That means that though Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga were also paid due attention by Tilak, these two paths were subordinated to Karma Yoga.

He was fully aware of the fact that by his understanding of the Gita as 'Karma-Yoga-Sostra' he was deviating from the traditional way of interpreting this important scripture. But he was convinced that his understanding was the correct one because it represented the natural conclusion of the fundamental unity of Ishvara (god), man and universe which does not allow man to stop acting for that implies the neglect of the world as one inseparable part of that unity.

To serve the world means according to Tilak the fulfilment of the will of god and forms therefore the safest way to liberation: The core of the Gita consists in the opinion of Tilak in the teaching of doing one's duty in such a way that it leads to the liberation from the wheel of samsara. Since this is a very unique interpretation of the Gita, I was wondering whether Tilak did rely in this on a certain tradition in the Indian philosophical heritage especially of the Maharashtrian Bhakti philosophy. And here Jnanadeva came to my mind for I had heard about his translation and interpretation of the Gita. Both thinkers, Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Jnanadeva, have something in common. At first we have to mention the language they used.

Sri Aurobindo called the Gita-Rahasya 'the first prose writing of the front rank in weight and importance in the Marathi language, and the Jnaneshvari can be seen as one of the first (if not the very first) philosophical work at all in Marathi language and most probably also the first in the field of poetry. Jnanadeva by his translation of one of the most important scriptures of the Hindu religion in the language of the common people played a role in the history of Hinduism which can perhaps be compared with the German reformer of the Christian religion, Martin Luther, though Luther (1483-1546) lived more than 200 years later. Regarding his world view it is possible to compare Jnanadeva with Meister Eckhart (1260-1328), the first German philosopher of importance, who expressed his thoughts also in the vernacular language and who also like Jnanadeva defined the main aim of the human being as becoming one with the Divine.

Jnanadeva rejected an anthropomorphic concept of god and stressed the identity of natura naturans and natura naturata in the same way as Meister Eckhart has done. For both philosophers god has to be seen everywhere in the world. This search for the Divine unity was so very much in contrast to the dogma of the Roman catholic church that Meister Eckhart was suspected for heresy and he died in the papal prison in Avignon (France).

The role Jnanadeva played in the history of Hinduism was highly estimated by Tilak when he said: "A few years before the Hindu dynasty of Daulatabad was destroyed by Mahomedans, Jnanadeva Maharaj, by our good fortune, gave a 'native clothing' to the Bhagavadgita, and brought about an 'over-flow of the knowledge of Brahman' propounded by the Gita into the Maharashtriya provinces ..." Tilak knew the Jnaneshvari quite well. He mentioned Jnanadeva six times in the Gita Rahasya though perhaps Ramdas (Samartha), the 'active saint' seems of having been closer to his own thoughts.

In describing the different schools regarding the interpretation of the Gita Tilak deals also with the saints of Maharashtra, who have substantiated the doctrine of Devotion without discarding the doctrines of illusion and by whom according to Tilak devotion was taken as the easiest way to the realisation of the Divine and the path of devotion based on nonduality was called the principal moral of the Gita.

In this connection he mentions especially the Jnaneshvari as the most valuable work with regard to this school, which though following the interpretation of Shankara must be looked upon as an independent treatise of the Gita. Tilak praised Jnanadeva's wonderful skill 'of expounding the Gita, by numerous beautiful illustrations and comparisons' who had propounded the doctrines of desireless action and especially the doctrine of devotion in a much better way than Shankara.

Later on in explaining the state of perfection of one who has fully realised the identity of atman and brahman, characterised by the mahavakya'aham brahmasmi', Tilak quotes extensively from the Jnaneshvari in order to describe the equability of mind of such a person praising highly the sweet and attractive language and the impressive illustrations used by Jnanadeva for the description of a devotee. In the chapter on Renunciation and Karma Yoga Tilak quotes Jnanadeva's description of a Jnanin in order to demonstrate his own point of view. It can be easily recognized that Tilak not only knew the Jnaneshvari quite well but appreciated also his author very much.

Jnanadeva, 'the intellectual mystic' is called by Swami Ranganathananda an Advaita  bhakta , a Jnana bhakta: 'The devotee should realise God as all-pervasive; and where he casts his eyes, he should see God therein.' Ranade calls the Jnaneshvari one of the greatest commentaries on the Bhagavadgita and one can only agree with this verdict. One of the most outstanding features of this book can be seen in the field of ethics. Jnanadeva analyses the various moral virtues and vices, mentioned in the Gita and describes them in a very impressive and detailed manner. When we ask how far Tilak was influenced by Jnanadeva, we can clearly state that Tilak's understanding of the term 'yoga' in the Gita as meaning 'Karma Yoga' and the philosophical conclusions resulting out of this are his own and original contribution to the history of ethics in India.

Jnanadeva in his Bhavartha Dpika or Jnaneshvari has mentioned all the four paths as leading to the supreme goal according to the Gita, being all of them of equal value though bhakti without doubt has given some more importance by Jnanadeva. He also stresses the point that even after realisation one has to be active and has to act according to his dharma and that this action should be dedicated to god as a sacrifice.

But no direct influence of Jnanadeva on Tilak regarding his evaluation of Karma Yoga can be seen. But what is common to both of them is the stress laid on ethics in general within their respective commentaries. When Krishna describes himself as being always the most outstanding phenomenon of a certain group or class he calls the ethics among all sciences 'which discriminates between good and evil and sides with duty and wisdom' we can take this as a symbol of Jnanadeva's high estimation for this philosophical discipline.

To my mind within this broader frame the Jnaneshvari can be taken as having given a valuable stimulation for Tilak's own considerations which were determined by the political and philosophical needs of his time. Though Jnanadeva also stressed the point that nonattached action leads to liberation and one has to act also after one has reached liberation, no direct influence of him on Tilak can be seen with regard to the interpretation of the term yoga. But nevertheless Tilak's Gitarahasya breathes the spirit of the Jnaneshvari insofar its pivot is also morality and ethics. Tilak's translation and commentary of the Gita have to be taken as resulting out of the endeavour to adjust this text to the cultural and spiritual demands of his time just as Jnanadeva's Jnaneshvari has been the product of his time. Tilak

does not deal with the different virtues as Jnanadeva did. He just stresses in his note to Chapter XIII,7 of the Gita, that the description of jnana given there, affirms his position, namely that a jnanin must continue to perform all actions with an unattached frame of mind. Whereas Tilak focused his attention on the demand for worldly activity and social responsibility in the Jnaneshvari main stress was laid on compassion, equanimity and the grace of god respectively of the guru.

Grace is called one of God's attributes, and here it can be seen that new religious movements like the Ramakrishna Mission with its stress on social service and the love to god had its roots in the Indian tradition of the bhakti mysticism and there is no need for deriving the concept of God's love and grace only from the Christian influence as we can read it very often. It has to be mentioned within this context that it seems to be very important to take up detailed studies of the Indian middle ages in order to be able to understand the complex intellectual development during the colonial time and to explain the fact that European thoughts could find an echo in the Indian cultural atmosphere.

Thoughts from outside to my mind can only be of some lasting influence if they fall on a fertile soil, that means that the cultural and intellectual atmosphere must be in such a way that thoughts from outside can be understood and developed further. As another difference we have to state that whereas Jnanadeva always expressed his respect for his teacher and was very much possessed by devotion to his guru Tilak, a 20th cent. thinker did not try to establish a new sampradaya or to derive his views from a teacher. In order to be able to understand fully differences and common features of these two great personalities we have to look at them within the time they lived and try to find out how they responded to the problems of their time.

Jnanadeva's social environment was characterised by other problems than that of Tilak.

Maharashtra at the end of the 13th cent. was an independent, strong and culturally blossoming country, whereas Tilak suffered from the colonial exploitation of his country and had to struggle during his whole life for democratic rights and political self-determination of India. He belonged to the intellectual elite whereas Jnanadeva though obviously also highly educated and perhaps accepted in some intellectual circles was socially stigmatised. He led the life of a sannyasin or of a homeless sadhu in contrast to Tilak - a married man and an active politician. But nevertheless they both have much in common, especially the interest in morality and ethics, demonstrated by Jnanadeva in his unique description of moral qualities, by Tilak in his explanation of why and how one has to act.

The society in which Jnanadeva lived was governed by the varna sramadharma, and he had to suffer from the tyranny of the orthodox brahmins since he and his siblings were the children of a sannyasin and as such looked at as outcasts. The main aim of Tilak's translation and commentary was, first, to open up the whole spiritual wealth of the Gita, and by this to awaken the Indian masses from all lethargy and to include them actively into the national movement and, second, to demonstrate that in the Indian tradition and especially in the Bhagavadgita thoughts were developed appropriately in the same way or even better for forming the philosophical basis of modern ethics in the sense of a 'scientifical definition of the pure, complete and constant form of morality as he said. Tilak relied on the Bhagavadgita in order to base his demand for activity philosophically.

Regarding the question of influence within the field of philosophy we have to take into consideration that philosophy never is developed within a vacuum, each time has its own problems and in every philosophy the time of its development is always directly or indirectly

reflected in a certain way.

Jnanadeva's problems were different from those Tilak was confronted with. The vitality of a tradition can be recognized by its ability to correspond with the further development and the change of thoughts though the form of it may become obsolete. The Gita quite obviously belongs to those traditions the living content of which can be sound and valid for a very long time since it answers to questions of vital human importance. And in my opinion also the Jnaneshvari belongs to these traditions which are always new and vivid and able to influence our thoughts and actions and to which also further generations may return from time to time for inspiration and orientation. But that does not mean that in the Gita or in the Jnaneshvari we can find solutions of all the problems we are confronted with today. What we can do and what will be proved quite fruitful is to develop further thoughts contained in these scriptures according to the needs of our time.

That means that each generation will have its special understanding of scriptures like the Gita, and a tradition has always to be made one's own in order to be of any influence. I think it is justified to call Jnanadeva a religious reformer, one who revived the traditional values by adapting them to the changed conditions in this case in the shape of a new and original translation and interpretation of a religious text of decisive importance. The life in which Jnanadeva was casted enabled him to develop something new resulting out of the confluence of traditional Sanskrit wisdom of the Brahmins with folk wisdom and folk religion.

That is in my opinion the reason why his philosophical and religious thoughts till today have not lost their vitality. Even 700 years after his death they contain fresh and new elements for one who is searching for answers regarding the problems of our time.

Jnanadeva's views can be called a democratised religion because he translated an important religious scripture into the language of the people, he made the Gita available in the Marathi language that 'this bliss has come within the reach of everyone as he put it. He explained this religious wisdom in such a way that it was understandable to the common man and furthermore he stressed those passages of the Gita where the way to liberation was opened to everybody. He deals extensively with the passage of the Gita (Chapter IX,32) where it is said that everybody independently of caste, creed, sex etc. can reach god. For him, the outcast son of a sannyasin, equality of men is a value of fundamental importance: "Therefore noble family, colour and caste are of no account; what is of vital significance is to have love for me." And in connection with Chapter X, 40 he remarks: "Therefore, do not regard anything as small or great, give up all distinctions of high and low, but know for certain I am all this universe."

When asking for the relevance of the Jnaneshvari in our time we have first of all to look at the remarks on moral rules of conduct. Here already his starting point seems to me of importance: Whether one has got knowledge of the Self can be recognized by his behaviour, the criterion of true wisdom is how one acts, there must be coincidence between the action and the declared principles of faith especially in politics everywhere in the world a desideratum.

Besides modesty and humility Jnanadeva deals extensively with harmlessness, ahimsa. He defines: "Now to conduct oneself with body, speech and mind with the sole object of making the world happy is the essence of non-violence." Of course, his criticism of the vedic sacrifice with the slaughtering of animals is of no importance for us today, but when he asks: "How can non-violence grow where only the seeds of violence are sown?" he has

touched a very important problem of our time. Very often especially in the field of international conflicts we can observe the desire to achieve non-violence through violence and how often this experiment was condemned to fail - instead of trying to avoid conflicts or solving them before they can escalate into a violent confrontation.

Jnanadeva describes the conduct of one who has attained knowledge and whose mind became impressed with non-violence as determined by compassion. 'How ... can he think of wielding a weapon?' he asks. It is taken for granted that the demand for non-violence is not only valid with regard to actions but also to speech and thoughts.

Within the complex of consideration on non-violence Jnanadeva criticised the Ayurvedic medicine and with it the short-sightedness of men when trees have been cut or animals have been killed in order to save human beings suffering from diseases. He is full of compassion with all living creatures in the environment including plants when he, e.g., regrets: "The innocent trees which bear no enmity to others are cracked all over and thus reduced to a lifeless and dry state." and he compares the cutting of trees for the sake of a small fortune with buying a cage after driving away the parrot. If one thinks of the time in which the saint lived one wonders how he was able to develop such modern ecological thoughts. But in order to understand this we have to point at the long tradition of belief in the unity of human being and nature in India, for instance in the shape of the famous hymn to the earth (Atharvaveda XII,1) or the legend of Visvarupa (Taittiriya Sa hita II,5,1): Indra gave the boon to the earth that everything dig out of it would grow again within one year.

This feeling of unity of human and natural environment has to be re-established not only in India. There is a direct connection in the view of Jnanadeva between ahimsa and compassion, and compassion is closely linked with equanimity. A person of steady wisdom (sthitaprajna) is characterized by compassion to all creatures. "Just as mother earth does not think of giving only to a superior and denying it to an inferior ..." so he is equally friendly with all creatures and looks after them like an affectionate nurse. It is quite natural, that as in any comment on the Gita within the discussed moral standards also duty plays an important role. He says: "If a person ... is firm in the performance of his duty, he will accomplish all his desires without effort..." But "... he who ignores his call of duty loses his freedom.

A small remark in connection with Gita VI, 17 can also be of relevance in our time if we think of the millions of starving people all over the world: "A person should eat to live, and so he should eat wholesome food in moderation." We find many interesting passages more with regard to moral virtues and vices which are of relevance in our time but it is not possible here to mention them all. In order to conclude: since Jnanadeva raised questions of general importance and answered them on the basis of a deep spiritual understanding combined with every day's experience of the common man and with an intensive democratic feeling even today after more than 700 years we can get a lot of valuable suggestions for solving our problems by studying this book.

In view of the global crisis of our days a new value system is necessary. I think there is no need mentioning the different problems as the dangerous change of climate, the consequences of the genetic technological manipulations, the existence of nuclear weapons, undernourishment of millions of people, civil wars in many places of the globe etc. It can be easily recognized that either the humanity is able to come to its senses or the human race

sooner or later will be an extinguished species as it was the dinosaur.

A society oriented only at individual profit, a society in which everything is only evaluated with regard to the question how much material gain one can get and how much one has to pay, a society in which money is the measurement for everything can obviously have no future in view with the global problems. So it is quite useful to look at books like the Jnaneshvari for answers to our problems. These answers are not contained in those books, for the questions we have are the questions of our time and we have to find the answers ourselves by reading those books and finding our own concepts stimulated by the thoughts developed hundreds of years ago.

But what we are not allowed on pain of annihilation is to loose faith in man - according to Rabindranath Tagore the greatest ever possible sin. Optimistically I say that man is not the wolf of man but man is god and god is man, that is to my mind the teaching of Jnanadeva's interpretation of the Gita.

We have to give up egoism, greediness, hatred and privileges and learn to love our neighbour.

This might be called an utopia. But utopia, a vision, is needed for orientation. One point seems to me very important in this connection. One alone is weak. Only if going together with others he and she can become strong enough for influencing the course of history. But for this, aims in common with others too are necessary so that the feeling of 'we' can be developed. It is this feeling of 'we' by which human civilization became possible.

To make men aware of the problems which are common to all the demands, raised 700 years ago and interpreted according to the needs of our time have to be seriously taken into consideration in view of the severe situation we live in. We have to remember what Jnanadeva said: he vishvadi majhe ghare: the whole world is my home or to put it in the way Tilak has taught us: we all are responsible to plant trees the fruit of which our children will harvest.

top ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ Tilak's Theory of Karmayoga: A Fresh Appraisal Prof. Krishna S. Arjunwadkar Retired Professor of Marathi, University of Bombay.

ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ ﾧ

The Tradition of Commentators of the Bhagavad-gita The Bhagavad-gita (BG) has been a source of inspiration and veneration for large sections of Indian society presumably since the early centuries of the Christian Era and, consequently, attracting scholars of repute through centuries to interpret it the way they understood it. This in its turn increased the popularity of this text so as to inspire newer generations of scholars making fresh attempts of interpretation. The oldest available, but not necessarily the first, commentary on BG is that of Shankaracharya who has referred to earlier commentators and criticised their views at several places in a general way and on particular issues. Among the Vedantic schools, the BG is accorded a place of honour as a basic text, with two more, the Upanishads and the Brahmasutras, together called the Prasthana-trayi. Five centuries later, Jnanadeva wrote an exhaustive Marathi commentary on BG, popularly known as Jnanesvari, which is held in high esteem by Marathi-speakers and has been moulding the Marathi mind for the successive centuries. Jnanadeva's mention therein of the Bhasyakara as a guide is taken by many to imply a covert reference to Shankaracharya, despite the view being disputed by some modern scholars who would rather like to relate Jnanadeva to a Kashmirian school.

This tradition continued until, in recent times, the voluminous work of the late Bal Gangadhar Tilak, called the Gita-rahasya (GR) (1915) or Karmayoga-shastra, with its scholarly exposition of the philosophy, religion and ethics of the BG vis-a-vis the Western outlook on these subjects, persuaded the contemporary generation, fed on and influenced

by English education as envisaged by Macaulay, to look at its heritage seriously and realize its worth in the context of world thought. The success of GR in laying a philosophical foundation for the activist forces of his tunes fighting for the cause of independence is immeasurable and will ever remain an object of admiration and veneration for generations to come. What adds to the greatness of this work is the fact that it is the product of Tilak's imprisonment for six long years away from his homeland - thanks to the vindictive attitude of the British which gave Tilak a chance to devote his scholarly talents to a worthy cause, undisturbed by political occupation. The only parallel case I know in the Sanskrit tradition is more than a thousand years old, viz., that of Jayantabhatta (7th c. A.D.), the author of Nyayamanjari, an encyclopaedic work on Indian logic which, on the authority of its author, was the result of his long imprisonment by a Kashmir king of his time. We should indeed thank the Kashmir king and the British for putting the two scholars into jail! Tilak's work influenced several contemporary and subsequent authors who wrote on BG from a social outlook.

Tilak's Presumptions and Conclusions The most common feature of all writers of this class is to take personalities associated with the BG as real, historical and regard the events involving them as evidence in deciding its teaching. ThusArjuna 's reluctance before, and readiness after, the dialogue that is BG, is taken as a proof of the intention of the work to induce activism. Since, between the two points, all Upanishadic philosophy is presumed or stated succinctly, it is assumed that Arjuna had in the meantime become a jnanin - a man of realization and hence qualified for liberation as conceived by the Upanishads. The description of how Arjuna had the privilege of the exclusive vision of the all-pervading manifestation of Krishna - identified as God Almighty during the former's dialogue with the latter is considered to strengthen his claim to

qualifications for liberation. The readiness of such a person to fight reveals that, in the view of BG, performance of social duties -varnasrama-dharma, to use a time-honoured term standing for the prototype of such duties - which is emphasized repeatedly and more than anything else in the course of the exposition in BG, is a must even for a man of realization, for the good and guidance of the society, i. e., for loka-samgraha, if not for personal gain, as is the case with the ordinary people. Arjuna thus followed the same path as was trodden

by Krishna the God and Janaka the renowned philosopher-king of ancient times. The name given by BG to such disinterested activism is Karmayoga (KY) - a term occuring prominently in BG for the first time in the history of Indian philosophy and popularized by GR - which is its main thesis. The BG as viewed by GR is thus opposed to renunciation which has been the keynote of Vedantic tradition for centuries.

Ancient Support for a Contemporary Cause There can be no objection to an attempt to reinterpret old texts to meet contemporary needs of a society; and it must be admitted that GR has succeeded in carrying masses with it to a preconceived goal. Tilak was a great fighter and organizer who pined Indian masses against the Britishers in a degree no one before him could. All organizations need myths (or, alternatively, common interests) to build on, and support for a cause from an ancient source goes a long way in convincing a tradition-bound society of the necessity of coming together under a single banner. 'I am not stating anything new; I am only reiterating what our past masters have revealed.' This is an attitude assumed by Indian thinkers through centuries and liked by their society in general, despite the fact that new elements did find their way to the old framework but in the guise of an extension of the old ones, although India has also produced great men who took a positively opposite attitude of replacing old values with new ones. Tilak shrewdly recognised this fact and presented his outlook as coming from an old revered work.

The Basics and the Superstructure This is the credit and rationale of Tilak's work. From a strictly philosophical point of view, however, Tilak's theory does not satisfy the logical demands a theory has to meet in order to be accepted as viable. A theory has its basics on which it builds the superstructure; and it is naturally to be expected that the latter should be harmonious with the former. What is wanting in Tilak's theory is the harmony between its basics and superstructure. To understand this, it is necessary to state briefly the contents of these aspects of his theory of KY. The Basics The basics of Tilak's theory have to be found in the philosophical heritage of BG. BG is admittedly the successor of the Upanishads to such an extent that a number of verses from the latter are bodily borrowed by the former. It borrows the Advaitic concepts of the ultimate unity of the individual and the universal principles, and the concept of liberation moksha,the highest purusartha or goal of human life, in all its distinctive features which can be achieved only through jnana or Self-realization. Purification of mind is a precondition for the rise of this jnana; and the yogas of karman, bhakti and dhyana are means towards this end. The Self, though seated in the perishable body, is eternal, unconcerned with actions which in fact belong to the prakrti with which the Self identifies himself through ignorance

and, according their authorship to himself, plunges into samsara. The Self is distinct from the body and the various identities associated with the body are superimposed on it through ignorance. The concept of liberation presumes that of bondage which is the result of past actions accumulated though a chain of lives and deaths. The path of self-realization passes through a detached attitude towards worldly pleasures resulting in renunciation of actions identified as the root of bondage. Heaven is conceived to be varying with the size and quality of merit one accumulates, i. e., discriminative, and lasts only until the balance of merit is exhausted. Liberation, on the other hand, is conceived to be permanent and allows no element of discrimination. Unlike in examinations and jails, there are no classes or grades (A, B, C...) in liberation. If there be any, it will cease to be what it is conceived to be. It allows no ethical code for a jnanin who can continue to 'live' even after liberation, for liberation has nothing to do with death. This theory has its own logic and has been developed to the finest details through centuries by authors of outstanding scholarship.

'Ethical code for a liberated soul' is a contradiction in terms. Self-realization is trans-ethical as is categorically stated by the Upanishads.

Tilak's Superstructure and the Issues It Raises When we check details of Tilak's concept of KY vis-a-vis these basics, we realize that, by accepting some and rejecting or modifying other elements of the Vedantic theory briefly stated above, he has landed himself in problems for which he has no solutions. The most conspicuous of his departures from the basics is that KY does not end, but starts, with the acquisition of jnana, and is an option for renunciation. To a question why he should practise KY once he has achieved its goal, jnana, Tilak's reply is 'for loka-samgraha', in consideration of the proper conduct of the society; for, as BG says, the common man follows the great.

This stand leads to several questions: 1 If KY is compulsory for a liberated man, is he really liberated?

2 Is it logical to expect a liberated man to practise KY in consideration of the social conduct which, for him, is samsara, a net fabricated by ignorance?

3 Is it logical to allow KY which is essentially ethics to overridejnana which is transethical?

4 Is Tilak's theory supported by evidence acceptable in scientific dialogue?

5 Does Tilak's understanding of jnana tally with that in Vedantic tradition?

Moksa vs Ethics The concept of moksa in Vedanta which means a total dissolution of identity has no parallel in social thought which is nothing if not characterized by identities. The social thinker thinks of a man as distinct from other animals as also from men of different identities involving race, nation, province, caste, color, language, relations and so on. The Self as defined by Vedanta is pure consciousness free from all these and similar distinctions. The very concept of social duty, the protection and continuation of which is Tilak's major concern, is based on such distinctions. How is it relevant in a state where all such distinctions are denied? By its very nature, ethics is based on an awareness of, and for a sound conduct of the society. In other words, it belongs to the relational world. How can it go hand in hand with moksa which is the cessation of relations? For a pious man, there is a lot of difference between the water of the holy Ganga and the tap water. For a scientist, water is H2O whether from the Ganga or a tap. Scientific reality is indifferent to sentimental considerations, for the former

is based on objective evidence, and the latter, on willed cognition.

The World of 'Willed Cognition' What is 'willed cognition'? Established epistemology recognizes two categories of cognition: true or valid, and false or invalid. The cognition of a rope as a rope is true, that as a snake is false. These categories are so familiar that they hardly need an explanation. Although sufficient for explaining empirical experience, these categories cannot explain a vast area of our life called culture. Culture covers everything from plays to politics, language to literatures, religions to social institutions, love songs to national anthems, stickers to national flags, trade unions to nations, in fact, all that man has created on the basis of his will as against the physical world which exists irrespective man's will. In drama, we identify the actor with Hamlet on the strength of our will and enjoy it. The criterion for the willed nature of this experience is our awareness of the separate identities of the actor and Hamlet. In the example discussed above, the holiness of the Ganga water is a matter of will handed down by tradition and subsequently transformed into a belief. We know that language consists of words which are but sequences of sounds linked to certain senses by convention which is ultimately the will of the speakers. On the poetic level, we call a man a lion for his courage, knowing full well that the two are in fact different. We do lots of such identifications for aesthetic or similar purposes. When we are not aware of this difference, false cognition results, as, for example, when we recognize a rope as a snake. All values, social institutions, systems, conventions and the like are phenomena involving willed cognition. Traditional analysis of human experience which does not recognize willed cognition cannot be regarded as complete or final.

The Scientific and the Mythical Contents of the Vedanta While classing ethics as the domain of willed cognition, I am aware that Vedantic works are full of mythical contents based on will. From various accounts of the creation of the world to a large number of meditational ways and devices, Vedanta texts abound in mythical contents. This necessitates an attempt to sift scientific content of Vedanta from the mythical one. Identity of the individual soul with the universal principle based on a scientific analysis of our states of consciousness - waking, dream and deep sleep is the main thesis of Vedanta, and it deserves our attention more than anything else as attested even by a great authority like Gaudapada. If physical sciences explore the outer, objective world, Vedanta explores the inner, subjective world. Vedanta, thus, is the science of the subject and follows the discipline of presentation of its results - hypotheses, evidence, conclusions - as much as do the physical sciences. That the nature of evidence in Vedanta differs from that of physical sciences is due to the difference in the nature of the subjects they treat of even among physical sciences, nature of evidence changes with that of the subject. Discoveries of Vedanta are not a matter of belief but of reality.

Values and Scientific Reality This explains why ethics cannot be linked with scientific reality. What Tilak has done is to take the latter as the basis for the former, may be out of his keenness to find a basis for ethics in Indian philosophy which, by common consent, lacks ethical deliberations. This is mixing up willed cognition with true cognition. Values that make ethics are a matter of will which changes from time to time, place to place, and society to society. Scientific reality is

the same for all. In Tilak's view, cognition of the ultimate reality forms the basis of Indian concept of social duty: How can our status in the world of everyday business form the basis of our behaviour in a drama or a dream? To come to details, how can Arjuna fight his adversaries with an outlook of equanimity towards friends and enemies which, according to BG, characterises an enlightened man? In the events that follow BG, he has behaved in the same manner as any normal warrior would. And Krishna, too, who has played all tricks a practical man would. What proof is there that they have done all this in the perfect manner of KY, i. e., in a detached manner not claiming or caring for the results? If events in the subsequent story are to be taken as indications, there is every reason to believe that the two were as normal as any man of the world. The only possible conclusion is that they were not enlightened in the Vedantic sense of the term, in case we treat the events and personalities associated with BG as historical.

Stories as Frameworks But what if we do not? Stories in philosophical works are just frameworks meant for providing an occasion for the presentation of the teaching. They serve an ornamental purpose to induce the reader to read them. Many of such stories (e. g., the story of Naciketas and Yama in the Katha Upanisad) are obviously imaginary; and the rest are presumably so even though they involve characters which smack of historicity. In other words, they are myths created by will, and no myth can be entertained as a proof in scientific discussion. It follows from this that the example of Janaka cited in BG and taken as a support for post-enlightenment KY is no evidence.

The Test of Enlightenment Then, what decides that a man is enlightened? Not certainly his affidavit. If such a proof is admissible, any man can make a claim to enlightenment. This is unscientific. It is the presence of the characteristics of the enlightened man which are described in BG and other Vedantic works and are logically linked to his state that decide whether or not a man is enlightened in the Vedantic sense. If Tilak's view is admitted, there would hardly be a man or woman of any profession including that of a sharebroker who cannot claim to be enlightened! Viewed from this angle, even Yajnavalkya, acclaimed to be the greatest philosopher of Upanishadic times, cannot be called enlightened, for he himself has confessed that he is not abrahmistha, but only gokama, and he had a large property to divide between his two wives. Admirers of recent great personalities like Vivekananda accord to them the honour of Vedantic enlightenment. This is not more than an indication of the appreciation of their great work and stands on an equal level with raising memorials of or naming streets after great men. Greatness or such other attributes have only a social significance which mean nothing for a man of enlightenment.

Jnana - Intellectual and Experiential One wonders what led Tilak to base his ethics on Vedantic enlightenment? The term jnana, which according to Vedanta, is the only means to liberation has a number of connotations in different contexts even in Vedantic works. But when it is said to be the means of moksa, it means experience - saksatkara,as distinct from intellectual understanding or conviction.

Despite his knowledge of this distinction indicated in his writing, Tilak seems to have taken this term in the latter sense (i. e., intellectual understanding) which does not militate

against ethical considerations. The great teachers of Vedanta from Yajnavalkya to Vasudevashastri Abhyankar of our own times who were mostly householders and also great scholars who no doubt devoted their lives to teaching and writing on Vedanta, made no claim to enlightenment; and even if one did, such a claim would only contradict itself implying the existence of his ego which is a sure indication of his not being enlightened.

Conclusion The discussion above reveals the weaknesses of Tilak's position if exposed to scientific criteria. Considering the scholarly potential of Tilak, are we not justified in saying that he would not have interpreted BG the way he did, had he not called upon to guide Indian people on the path of swarajya?

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How I came to write the "Gita Rahasya"

by Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Reproduced from Bhavan's Journal Vol XIX No. 7, Diwali Number 1972, pp. 131-135 It is now nearly 43 years since I made my first acquaintance with the Bhagavadgita. In 1872, during the last illness of my father, the task of reading out to him a Prakrit commentary on the Bhagavadgita called Bhasavivrtti fell to my lot. At that date, that is, when I was only 16 years old, it was not possible for me to fully understand the import of the Gita.

Still, as the impressions made on the mind in young age are lasting, the liking for the Bhagavadgita, which then came into existence, did not die out; and when I had later on made further studies in Sanskrit and English, I had occasion to read time to time the Sanskrit commentaries and other criticisms, as also the expositions by many learned scholars in English and in Marathi on the Gita.

I was then faced by the doubt as to why the Gita, which was expounded in order to induce Arjuna, who was dejected by the idea that it was a sin to war with one's own relatives, to fight, should contain only an exposition of the manner in which Release could be obtained by knowledge (jnana) or by devotion (bhakti), that is to say, of the moksamarga; and that doubt gradually gained ground because I could not find a satisfactory answer to that question in any commentary on the Gita.

Gita doesn't preach Renunciation. Gita

preaches Action!

It is quite possible that others too might have felt the same doubt. One cannot say ``no" to that. When a person is engulfed in commentaries he cannot find a different solution, though he may feel that the solution given in the commentary is not satisfactory.

I, therefore, put aside all criticisms and commentaries, and independently and thoughtfully read the Gita over several times.

I then got out of the clutches of the commentators and was convinced that the original Gita did not preach the Philosophy of Renunciation (nivrtti), but of Energism (Karma Yoga); and that possibly, the single word yoga used in theGita had been used to mean Karma Yoga.

Though my opinion that the creed preached in the Gita was one of Action became quite definite, and though I decided to reduce it to writing, many years went by. And I thought that a considerable amount of misunderstanding would arise if I merely published in a book form this moral of the Gita, which had not been accepted in the commentaries, criticisms, or translations now commonly available, without assigning any reason as to why I was unable to accept the conclusions arrived at by the former commentators.

No Time At the same time, as the work of dealing with the opinions of all the commentators, and exposing their incompleteness with reasons, and of comparing the religion expounded in the Gita with other religions or philosophies was one entailing great labour, it was not possible for me to satisfactorily complete it within a short period of time.

And later on, when, in the year 1908, I was convicted and sent to Mandalay, in Burma, the chance of this book being written came practically to an end.

But when, after some time, Government was pleased to grant permission to take books and other things essential for writing this book from Poona to Mandalay, the draft of this book was first made in the Mandalay Jail in the winter of 1910-1911 (between Karttik Shuddha 1st and Falgun Vadya 30th of the Saka Year 1832); and thereafter, the draft was improved upon from time to time, as things suggested themselves to me; and those portions which had remained incomplete as the necessary books had not been available, were completed after my release from jail.

It is true that this work was completed in the Mandalay Jail; but it had been written with a lead pencil, and it contained corrections and deletions on many places; so, when it was returned to me after inspection by Government, it was necessary to make a fair copy of it for printing; and if I myself had to do that work, who knows how many months more would have passed before the work was published!

The Gita was not preached either as a pastime for persons tired out after living a worldly life in the pursuit of selfish motives nor as a preparatory lesson for living such worldly life; it was preached in order to give philosophical advice as to how one should live his

worldly life with an eye to Release (moksha) and to teach the true duty of human beings in worldly life.

My last prayer to everyone, therefore, is that one should not fail to thoroughly understand this ancient science of the life of a householder, or of worldly life, as early as possible in one's life. ................

Lokmanya Tilak Lokmanya Tilak popularized four concepts: Swaraj, Swadeshi, national education, and boycott. Swaraj for him was selfgovernment. He claimed that with Swaraj everybody would be free and have a right to participate in the government of the country. He demanded national self-determination for all colonized countries and argued that India’s freedom would usher in the freedom of other subject countries. He declared that Swaraj was his birthright and he would secure it.

Tilak’s greatest contribution was perhaps his erudite commentary on the Gita, the Gita Rahasya. In this commentary he argued that the Gita ought to be interpreted in light of the teachings of the Mahabharata. Tough the followers of Shankaracharya ﾧ laid greater emphasis on the path of renunciation, the Gita, in fact, taught the path of selfless action, and sought to combine the path of knowledge and the path of disinterested action. Only the person who had truly acquired self-knowledge could perform selfless action. Hence, while pursuing the path of knowledge, one ought to perform one’s assigned duties and not shirk responsibility. Duties are not merely in one’s own interest but in the larger interest of society. Duties are meant for loka sangraha. Loka sangraha is a complex concept consisting of three components: (i) organizing people who have strayed from the path of dharma or are dispersed; (ii) bringing them over to the proper path of dharma; and (iii) helping them walk the path of righteousness by having them imbibe the principles of dharma. Tilak was of the view that great personalities like Sri Krishna ﾧ, Sri Ramachandra, Janaka, and Yudhishthira followed this path which leads to liberation. To Janaka, the performance of his royal duties was of utmost importance. Tilak accorded greater importance to wiping the tears from the eyes of the poor and the weak than to personal salvation. Janaka was his ideal.

Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave Mahatma Gandhi wanted to empower the Indian nation by empowering its people. In his famous book Hind Swaraj he questioned Western civilization, which he felt was irreligious. He criticized British democracy; in his opinion it was thoroughly commercial; its elected leaders looked after their own self-interest. He called the British parliament a

chattering shop. He wanted that Swaraj for India in which everyone would enjoy the glow of freedom. He did not want India to copy the Western model of state and democracy. He did not want ‘white men’ to be replaced by ‘dark men’ while the British instruments of repression remained intact. He cited the example of Italy: after independence, Mazzini was not happy because the independent Italy for which he had fought was not a democratic state; it had been captured by domestic vested interests!

Gandhi wanted the state to be freed of its coercive elements and sought to instill fearlessness in the minds of people. In his concept of Swaraj, there was decentralization of power and India was to be a confederation of thousands of self-reliant and selfgoverning villages: innumerable circles of village republics. But these village republics were not to be hierarchically organized; instead they would be ‘oceanically’ organized. In the ocean, all waves maintain similar levels and none dominates over others; similarly, to prevent oppression, no system should be hierarchically organized. In the Gandhian concept of Swaraj, Ramrajya or the kingdom of God ought to be established first in our own souls, only then can it be established in our villages. Swadeshi—use of home produced materials in industry and the boycott of foreign goods—was a means to attain Swaraj.

Acharya Vinoba Bhave further developed the Gandhian insight in politics. In his essay ‘Swarajyashastra’ or ‘Science of Politics’, he argued that for the establishment of true Swaraj, the elimination of power politics was necessary. He wanted to replace rājanīti with lokanīti. Lokanīti involved a gradual shift of power into the hands of the people, elimination of coercion, and aiming for unanimity in decision-making within communities and assemblies. Following the Gandhian concept of Swaraj, he said that in his ideal state there would be no ruler and no punishment. The people would evolve their own rules to govern their relationships.

Vinoba also wrote a commentary on the Gita and argued that sāmya-yoga—cultivation of the spirit of equanimity—was the essence of the Gita’s teaching. Contesting Tilak’s stand, he said that the Gita did not teach the path of selfless action alone. In India, we have had two paths—the path of Shuka and the path of Janaka. Shuka’s path stood for renunciation and Janaka’s for the performance of action in the spirit of detachment. It was Vinoba’s contention that there was no need to force the issue between the two, as both the paths were equally useful for society. The former was indirectly beneficial cent to society and the latter directly. Each path had the emancipation of the individual from fear, want, and anxiety as its goal.

In this brief survey of political philosophy—both ancient and modern—political thinkers realized the importance of freedom of the human will. They did not undertake to restrict human creativity by developing grand theories of historical development. They desired amrtatva, the principle of immortality and freedom of human will; and the capacity to create one’s own world was its essence. The state was an instrument to realize this goal, and in the ideal society, this instrument would be rendered functionless. Anuśāsana could only be practiced keeping in view the principle of loka sangraha. And equanimity

remained the end to be aimed for. If violence, war, and hatred could not be abolished, one could work towards this end by promoting universal friendship and brotherhood. ................

Bhagvat Gita has been interpreted and re-interpreted by several saints and scholars for over two millenia. All of us know that the most important teaching of Gita is in Chapter 2 Sloka 47. It says: “Your right is only to do your duty. You do not have any control over the results. Do not let the results of your action be your motive. Do not become inactive on that score either”. In other words, do your duty without attachment to the results such as fame or fortune. Do not sit idle either.

There are several commentaries on the Gita. Two of my favorites are: Gita Rahasya by Bal Gangadar Tilak and Talks on the Gita by Vinoba Bhave. More recently, Kạnchi Periyavạl has given his approach in a book based on his talk (Volume 5, pages 10091011). This is to look at the logical and sequential steps Gita gives to help us move gradually through various steps towards spiritual knowledge and bliss, from Karma marga (mῑmạmsa) to the bhakti mạrga (devotional path). In the process, the quoted slokas will be jumping back forth from Chapter 2 to Chapter 18, then back to Chapter 3 and so on.

He starts with Chapter 2, sloka 47 (see the first paragraph of this essay). Lord Krishna’s initial advice is for the beginner on the spiritual path. A man or woman who has been active all along cannot stop all activities suddenly? Even if one wishes to let go of everything and become a recluse (sanyaasi) he will not be able to do so. He may stop all bodily activities but the mind will keep seeking and relating to sense objects. He will only become a hypocrite. Therefore, the Lord tells Arjuna, that even if he (Arjuna) wants to let go of all worldly activities, his innate nature will not let him do so.

We, human beings cannot entirely relinquish action. Therefore, it is adequate if we let go of our attachment to the fruits of our actions. (Chapter 18, sloka 11 starting with na hi dehabrutha) Just stop being physically active is not adequate. If you control the organs of physical activities, but are dwelling on sense objects with your mind, you are a hypocrite. (Chapter 3, sloka 6 starting with karmendriyena…)

Because of human nature and duties born of our nature and conditions, we will be impelled to act in spite of ourselves. Therefore, the Lord advises Arjuna to be active but to perform only those activities that are proper and fall under one’s Dharma (duties). The next step is to perform them without attachment to the fruits of action and to dedicate all of them to the Lord. (Chapter 18, sloka 60 starting with svabhavajena…)

If Arjuna is not able to do this, an alternate method the Lord gives him is just to do his daily activities and ritual sacrifices as acts of dedication and worship. Chapter 9, Sloka 27 starting with yatkarosi asks us to dedicate whatever we do, whatever we eat, all our sacrifices and austerities to the Lord. That should be easier than letting go of attachment to action or the actions themselves. Besides, the Lord assures us that if we do all this with

devotion He will give us the necessary knowledge and wisdom of understanding (Chapter 10, sloka 10).

If you cannot do any of this, the Lord suggests that you do whatever is your duty according to your station in life and consider that as your worship (puja) and that will lead you to perfection (Chapter 18, sloka 46). These suggestions include the path of action (karma yoga) and the path of devotion(bhakti yoga).

These methods of performing duties without attachment (karma maarga) and dedication and worship help purify and clarify the mind and prepare a person for the wisdom (gñaana) and release (mokṣha).

In chapter 18, sloka 49, Lord Krishna says that “He who has a detached mind, who has conquered his mind and who has no worldly desires attains the state of sanyạsa (freedom from action)”. “For one who is desirous of union with the Supreme (yoga), action is said to be the means. But for one who has attained yoga, inaction is said to be the means” says Chapter 6, sloka 3. To one who wants to enter the path of spirituality and realization, initially action is needed. But when he reaches that state of non-duality, he has no more actions to perform.

Sloka 33 of Chapter 4 says that sacrifice through knowledge is superior to sacrifices performed through materials. This is to refute the premise of the mῑmamsa which suggests that the only path to mokṣa is through performance of sacrifices.

In essence Lord Krishna does emphasize wisdom (gñana) but only as a final stage of maturity. For one who has understood the Self (Ᾱtma) and is satisfied with the self, there are no duties to be performed.

“Let the scriptures (śaastra) be your guide to decide what to do and what not to do” says the Lord in Chapter 16, sloka 24.

There is one other sloka which Periyavaal left out but happens to be my favorite. This is Sloka 63, Chapter 18 – almost at the end of the Gita. Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna about so many things and then says: “Reflect on it fully and act as you like”. He did not say: “I am the Lord; do as I told you to”.

(For those of you who cannot read Sanskrit, but know Tamizh, please go to Kannadasan's superb translation and read the sloka being referred to in the above paragraphs) Nishkam Karma in Bhagavad Gita?

According to Nishkam Karma in Bhagavad Gita -- we have to pray god or work done without expectations, motives, or thinking about its outcomes....

But My Question is "Why We Pray God?" is that we want something from god? or something else? if we want something from god then are'nt we are selfish... show more 5 following

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Best Answer: This is an interesting question friend first we have to ask what is nishkam karm ? everybody in the world is forced to act no matter what ! daily you walk talk think drink eat even breathe ..when you are asleep the mind never turns off it processes all what you have done in day time and also many activities like digestion and heart beating, breathing all that goes on .If we do some action then we are bound to get reaction from the enviroment is it not ? how is it we can be free from reaction ? any work you take there is action and results of action no ? but a perfect person or a realised being is free from any reaction hence Arjuna asks a question on how such a realised being sits ? how he eats etc ..because he cannot belive it ! if all activities of the body stop then that person is dead :) how can he be living and still be free of reaction ? that is by doing nishkam karm and nothing else .Nishkam karm means disinterested working literally .

True realisation can be got when there are no desires in the mind .Desires prompt thoughts and thoughts translate to action ! if you are to work there must be atleast some desire a trace of it otherwise no work can be done .Sri Krishna says that such work must be done with the desire of the welfare of the world .The word used is lokasagraham.Promted by teh desire to serve and not for some self centered egoistic purpose ,focus all mental effort only on the work at hand and dont think of its results such work becomes successful and such is called nishkam karm because you dont think about the results as you focus only on the work at hand ! next is you question as to why we must pray to God is such a case !

God is within .with our without prayer God helps you in every undertaking .If there is a thief and he wants to steal he can never do it without God ! infact without God one cannot even live ! Buddhi ,Bhakthi are used to clean the mind of vasanas and impressions of soo many births and so many desires

across so many births ! Once all vasanas are cleared the mind becomes contemplative and quiet .with contemplation one can realize the truth .Nishkam karm is more of a way to clean you mind and prepare it for contemplation .The more you do nishkam karm the steadier the mind gets and the more ready it gets for contemplation !

Nishkam Karm means doing work like the yagnyas that were done is the days of yore by the great sages of the time !in a yagnya that was conducted people would all get together and perform their best in the field of work they are good at .For example the carpenter would cut wood from the forest for the yagnya .The leanred rishis would chant from memory the vedas .The cooks would cook the prasadam and everyone in that village would bring their best and once such a co operative endeavour is over there is peace and happiness in everyone's heart ! the happiness that comes from doing such yagnya is the only true happiness ! it may seem like as if ots poison at first but later it becomes like amrutham or nectar that leads to immortality and the words used

by Sri Krishna is aathma buddi prakasajam ..such work will lead one to direct realisation !

In the bhagavath Gita there is much said about nishkam karm if you take the meanings as it then you will be confused because it is recited in the poetic language of the vedas .There are verses which state that by doing yagnya one can please the Gods and the Gods pleased with that man rain rewards for him again man narishes the Gods thru yagnya and again Gods nourish him ..thus pleasing each other the man reaches the highest ! the yagnya talked about here is nishkam karm ! and the Devas or Gods talked of here is the productive potentional of the field in which you work !so that capacity will be nourised with which you can excelllllllllll be happy and smile :D Divyadesam ¡ 4 years ago 0 Thumbs up

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RE: Nishkam Karma in Bhagavad Gita?

According to Nishkam Karma in Bhagavad Gita -- we have to pray god or work done without expectations, motives, or thinking about its outcomes....

But My Question is "Why We Pray God?" is that we want something from god? or something else? if we want something from god then...

Source(s):nishkam karma bhagavad gita: https://trimurl.im/j39/nishkamkarma-in-bhagavad-gita Virge ¡ 6 months ago 0 Thumbs up

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Work without expectation for self is NISHKAM KARMA. This is done to expand concept of SELF and in this sense it has expectations, however these are helpful reaching higher goal.

If concept for self grows to include all in this Universe, then in reality, person would be working for ONESELF. However, end result is good.

SD ¡ 4 years ago 0

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Nishkam Karma, or self-less or desireless action is an action performed without any expectation of fruits or results, and the central tenet of Karma Yoga path to Liberation, which has now found place not just in business management, management studies but also in promoting better Business ethics as well [1]. Its modern advocates press upon achieving success following the principles of Yoga [2], and stepping beyond personal goals and agendas while pursuing any action over greater good [3][4][5], which has become well known since it is the central message of the Bhagavad Gita [6].

In Indian philosophy, action or Karma has been divided into three categories, according to their intrinsic qualities or gunas. Here Nishkam Karma belongs to the first category, the Satvik (pure) or actions which add to calmness; the Sakam Karma (Self-centred action) comes in the second rājasika (aggression) and Akarma (in-action) comes under the third, tāmasika which correlates to darkness or inertia [7].

Why We Pray God?

असतत मम सदमय तमसत मम जयतततरर मय ममतयतरर मम अममतत रमय ॐ शमततत: शमततत: शमततत:

Maa Asato maa sad gamaya

Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya Mṛityor maa amṛitan gamaya Om shaantiḥ shaantiḥ shaantiḥ Lead us from falsehood to truth, from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, from death to Immortality. Om peace, peace, peace For Liberation Described in the Bhagavad Gita Bhakti Yoga is the path of love and devotion.

On Bhakti Yoga: ".... those who, renouncing all actions in Me, and regarding Me as the Supreme, worship Me... of those whose thoughts have entered into Me, I am soon the deliverer from the ocean of death and transmigration, Arjuna. Keep your mind on Me alone, your intellect on Me. Thus you shall dwell in Me hereafter." (B.G., Chapter 12, Verses 6-8).

It is essentially the process of enlightenment found through worship of God, in whatever form one envisions. Prayer is achieved through puja (worship) done either at the family shrine or a local temple. We can see from Krishna's injunction that prayer is fundamental to Hinduism, that to dwell constantly on God is key to enlightenment. Prayer repetition (through mantras) using maalaas (Hindu prayer beads) are a strong part of Hinduism.

Source(s):http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nishkam_Karma http://www.scribd.com/doc/5356062/Nishkama-Karma Riyash · 4 years ago 0 Thumbs up

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if we identify ourself with our body it is kind of impossible to do nishkaam karma.if we try to even do NK. then somewere or the other we are doing it for self ego ,either it is to gain self respect or desire to go to heven after death or some other porpose which in return traping us more in the samsara. but if we do not limit ourself to the body and mind and extend it to our true unlimited nature , then we see everybody as ourself.and with this kind of identity NK is natural everything we do has no more bondage.

But this can only be done by regular practice of meditation or praying vikas ¡ 2 years ago 0 Thumbs up

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Praying God is on several reasons. pray for self, others, or general.it is the devotion and belief of the individuals concerned. one may ask some wishes to be fulfilled one may pray for the welfare of others and one may pray on pure devotion.Arjuna was worried that if he engages in battle and kills his relatives and friends, he would incur sin. But Krsna is teaching him how by engaging in action without being attached to the results of action, which is called niskama karma yoga, Arjuna will not incur sin. Krsna had explained that if Arjuna forgoes his duty then he would incur sin. But Arjuna is worried that by killing brahmanas and gurus in a war to gain a kingdom, he will incur sin. But Krsna assures him that when he is fighting with a desire for liberation, he

would not incur sin. The transition from sakama karma (acting with attachment to results - "I am responsible for the actions. So I should enjoy this or I need to suffer because of this") to nishkama-karma (acting as ordained), whose goal is atma jnana and liberation is being made here.

When one acts in niskama karma, his actions devoid of desires for results, makes the heart pure so that knowledge of the soul (atma jnana) arises in it over a period of time. This desire for true knowledge (of the soul) destroys sins accumulated from the past. Now how does one gain inspiration to act without desire for results? It is the desire to gain realization of the soul, which is infinitely blissful that makes it possible.

Lets take an example of a sincere seeker of spiritual life. He has undergone many lifetimes accumulating good and bad karma and thus sins. Now if he continues in material life, he will have to undergo the reactions to his past sins and also along the way, he will accumulate more sins. But if starts engaging in niskama karma yoga - acting with no desire for results, with the aim of realizing his self, he will gradually over a period of lifetimes, makes his heart devoid of desires and jnana or knowledge of the soul develops in him.

Baladeva Vidyabhusana says niskama karma has jnana hidden within it meaning when one acts without desires, the knowledge of the soul hidden will sprout out.

Always Good. ¡ 4 years ago 1 Thumbs up

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Service without expectation (returns).

Do you find such people now in this world of greedy people?

IRRELIGIOUS ¡ 4 years ago

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u kick a school bag accidentally ,but immediately u go and perform namaskara to it ur foot touches someones leg or foot immediately u ll perform internal namaskara [[u may or may not but many of us do]] this shows us that we respect people and we also respect a life less school bag even if it w'ont kick u in return. its a very simple logic if u respect the materialistic ones u wont be ready to perform evil or anti social activities but if u pray god [super natural almighty] the so modified inner sense of u will not permit you to go bad know about the law of karma;;;i shall explain it briefly;;;;;;;;;pray[god] or [work] or [people] or [ur own good in u] ----------------------leads tu---------------good thaughts--------------------------------... you to good behaviour---------------------------lead... you to good karma------------------leads you to the SALVATION. ''''''''PRAYING GOD IS ULTIMATELY TO ATTAIN SALVATION''''' moreover attaining salvation is not being selfish .the path u choose to attain salvation can do a little good to ur fellow beings. thats all............. ***********************hare krishna*********************** Rohit Yadav.Badri ¡ 4 years ago In Bhagavad Gita and in Karma Yoga, the Lord Krishna says...?

'By working without attachment one attains the supreme'. How to 'work without attachment', does it means one should only think about present moment, and should not think about future, then only there is no attachment

to work and its future result. What do you say?

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Best Answer: How to work without attachment ? suppose we work in a firm. our concentration should be on work and work completion. we should not think about the emoluments we have to earn on the work. The work we do, the attachment is emoluments. If we concentrate on emoluments, our work will not get full completion. so, Krishna says to Arjuna when Arjuna was overcome with worldly attachment. In spite of having the duty (dharma) of a Kshatriya (those meant to perform the role of a warrior), he was overcome with attachment (moha) for his brothers and teachers who were posing as his enemies. To remove this delusion, Lord Krishna cautioned Arjuna and said, “Remove your illusion. Come to Your dharma. Be the Self. Do not become the doer or the non-doer of karma. This instruction was applicable for that moment, but it was not an instruction for the duration of his entire life. Seeing all his relatives around him, Arjuna was overcome with attachment and affection. Arjuna came to battle field to fight. so, Krishna reminds him to work without any attachments with his relatives.

This is applicable to all. In the old days a son understood his father even with an age difference of twenty-five years but today one does not have the inner ability to understand what the father is really trying to convey. So how is anyone going to understand what Lord Krishna was trying to convey? There is a lot of life essense contains in Gita. The central teaching of the Gita is the attainment of the final beatitude of life or perfection or Freedom (Moksha) by doing the duties of life or one’s Svadharma. The Lord says to Arjuna: "Therefore without attachment, do thou always perform action which should be done; for by performing action without attachment man reaches the Supreme."

Karma Yoga means: Performing one's duties and action without interest in the fruits of action. Performing actions with a spirit of dedication and devotion.

Gowdhama Bhuddha also said the reasons for sufferings are desires. This means we may have desires within the limit. so, while working or doing actions, our mind should not go here and there or thinking of family etc., Always Good. · 5 years ago 2 Thumbs up

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has done his duties without any expectation for several decades as a sincere employee.

One fine day he was inducted as Finance Minister of Union of India during 1991. Those who aspired for such post and worked in politics for life time could not get such recognizability.

Again in 2004, surprisingly he got Prime Ministership. That called 'work without attachment' suggested by Lord Krishna. Those who are aspiring for such position like Advaniji and others could not get that.

Veers த‌மம‌ழழ · 5 years ago 0 Thumbs up

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Friend, One who does any KARMA or WORK with out claiming any OWNERSHIP , but completely surrendering the result to GOD is doing the karma in an unattached way.

Both Good and Bad he Surrenders to eswara or God. But he lives a life following Dharma and accepts whatever that results as HIS GRACE and will not feel emotions whatsoever.

Radhakrishna( prrkrishna) ¡ 5 years ago 1 Thumbs up

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I think a good interpretation is to do what is presented to you and then just let it be. However, you have to really really be determined to attain the supreme.

You can't want it like a desire (like wanting money). You have to just be someone who needs the truth, and not just the veneer of truth. Don't think about the present moment, just allow yourself to be...natural as you were ever born. There is nothing necessary except to lose hope in ever earning your salvation.

The Whoflew Bird ¡ 5 years ago 0 Thumbs up

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Attachment here means unmindful of the fruit of your action.A devotee has to worship sincerely without expecting any thing from God.Suppose if you involve in charity,charity should be for the benefit of the deserving people without deriving any personal benefit to you.

Anantha ¡ 5 years ago 0 Thumbs up

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do work with single mind and don't think about future events i think i read this in the book called Karma Yoga written by some foreign

author but it is some extracts from swami vivekananda's speeches Bhagavad Gita...Krishna says what to do, but the question is how to do it?

In the Bhagavad Gita Sri Krishna says "Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani" 'Do your duty and be detached from its outcome, do not be driven by the end product, enjoy the process of getting there.' It is definitely a philosophical... show more 10 following

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Best Answer: It is materialistic world and corrupted by such illusion. If everyone is liberated from this illusion ......................'"Doing your duty and be detached from its outcome, do not be driven by the end product, enjoy the process of getting there"..............is definitely possible.

The first step is to make food available for everyone free in this world. When food is free that too everyone can get any type of food free, automatically people will get detached from the materialistic possession.

Every living being except Human, is getting food free from the nature.

None of the billions of trillions of living being are living by creating & depending on a concept called Money.

Abolish money, automatically when food is free, every one will do some job only for the sake of interest without bothering for result.

Let us all learn from rest of the billions of Trillions of Living species of the planet. Let us dream for a MONEY FREE day.

Have a nice day.

Veers த‌மம‌ழழ · 5 years ago 4 Thumbs up

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It is a wise saying, that it does not matter how your answer is received, it matters how it was delivered. If we are not attached to outcomes, we don't care how many people thumbs down our answer, just to speak your truth, if someone else accepts it, if it reaches fertile ground, is not under your control.

You may do your duty to the best of your ability, and say the company fails and goes bankrupt, all you can do is the best you can, it does not mean that you are a failure, and should get all depressed about it. Or say the company does real well, and you make a huge bonus, so why get all excited about it?

You will then ride the roller coaster of life, experiencing all its ups and down, but to live with the Isness of life, in the moment, with no preferences, is to ride the calm seas. I think just to deal with the isness of life, so on the way to work you get a flat tire, are you going to get all upset about it? I walk to the nearest coffee shop, have a cup of coffee, and then call a tow truck. It is just what Is, if you prefer certain things over others, then you ride the roller coaster, I think this is what it means, think about it...to live in the moment in the Now, for much more insight on it, A New Earth, and the Power of Now by Edkhart Tolle give the best information I have ever found about it. I can see where you get stuck with the words, they are such a poor method of communication, there is much behind the words that is left unsaid.

Kathy Miller · 5 years ago 2

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detach your self does not mean not doing a work properly. The lord says do your duty with all your sincere effort and on successful completion do not have the satisfaction "i Have done It well" instead say to your self"lord with your grace and the intelligence given by you the work has been completed through me"I thank you for making me the instrument in the process" Brahmanda ¡ 5 years ago 2 Thumbs up

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When I go to work, I am not thinking about the next payday. I am (ideally) thinking about the present moment. If you are spending your work time thinking about your next paycheck, then you are being detached from your work anyhow.

Search first before you ask it ¡ 5 years ago 2 Thumbs up

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You have to change your thinking ...It is the thinking which binds you but once you become detached to your thinking by giving it less attention, then you become free from all other forms of attachment.

Source(s):bn SHIVA ¡ 5 years ago 4 Thumbs up

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only u can do ur works, but u dont want for fruits from ur works

Dip Bangas ¡ 5 years ago 1 Thumbs up

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it means the bhagavad gita is an incomplete book without giving full directions.

'Do your duty and be detached from its outcome, do not be driven by the end product, enjoy the process of getting there.' before krishna the same was said by numerous people.vyas copied it and wrote bhagavad gita.

Sec C ¡ 5 years ago 1 Thumbs up

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It means do your best and leave the rest to Krishna for the result. Don't worry what will be the result, because the result is not in your hand. Śrī Govinda · 5 years ago 1 Thumbs up

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not just krishna,any person who is aged 50 and above with no knowledge of bhagavadgita or any religious scripture will tell you the same.it comes with damn experience in one's life time.practice it by engaging yourself in some other very important work.