04

Divided into eighteen chapters and well equipped with a total of seven hundred verses –Shlokas, the Shrimadbhagavadgita is a unique philosophical treatise dedicated to the absolute and eventually committed to the all-round development of man making his life meaningful. Every verse, and every word of the Shrimadbhagavadgita is simply based on the truth and purely towards human upliftment by a natural, simple, adaptable and accessible path. Truth and simplicity are those two characteristics of the Shrimadbhagavadgita, which make it all-time and exclusive. The first one, i.e., eternal or truth is devoted to the goal while simplicity depicts accessibility.

There is a culmination of philosophy in the Shrimadbhagavadgita also the best explanation of the Dharma. Knowledge of the role, contribution and importance of culture in human life is defined therein. It explains the truth of highest morality and humanity. If to say it very briefly, the Shrimadbhagavadgita is an abode always full of light. Without distinction, it provides one with the path of realizing the truth, following the path of truth leading him to dedication and devotion to the truth to eventually attaining the truth.

At the same time, the Shrimadbhagavadgita is such a treatise that reveals the root cause of problems at all levels in all walks of life and shows the path of their solution. The Gita also calls man to transform despair into high hope. Through its concrete message, the Gita inculcates full enthusiasm in him towards making good use of his karmic role in the Universe.

Due to its unprecedented call and shown path to make good use of the natural process of action, the Shrimadbhagavadgita could be established as a guide for the whole world for the purpose of greater welfare of the people for centuries. In modern times, it became the basis of the wholly dedicated life of great men like Sri Aurobindo, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi in India itself. It also deeply influenced thinkers-scholars like Henry David Thoreau, Aldous Huxley and Albert Schweitzer, and a great scientist like Albert Einstein.

 On the basis of experiences of his life Sri Aurobindo has said regarding all timeliness of the eternality of the Shrimadbhagavadgita that it is clear from direct experience that the Shrimadbhagavadgita is as innovative and invigorating in the present age as it was in the Mahabharata. Lokmanya Tilak has accepted the Gita as a diamond in the scriptures, and Mahatma Gandhi has considered the Gita as such a mother who always, in all situations and circumstances, remains supportive, and guides her child.

Generally, if it is said that a mother stays with her child till the door of liberation, the matter may seem odd; but, the Gita, as guide mother, accompanies her child till the door of liberation, and this is in itself an extraordinary situation.

Henry David Thoreau, a supporter of the idea of ‘Disobedience to the State Against Injustice’, was of the view that in front of the Shrimadbhagavadgita all other ideas were inferior and insignificant. Huxley accepted the Gita for the whole of humanity, and theologian Albert Schweitzer called it to be a unique work revealing the superiority of the human spirit and actions. Albert Einstein admitted that he picked the idea of the Creator of the Universe and the Creation from the Shrimadbhagavadgita. From the teachings of the Gita a feeling of non-attachment developed in him.

These are just a few examples related to the influence and inspiration of the Shrimadbhagavadgita. These are mere coincidences; it is not possible to present the whole account of this through a single article or a lecture. But, it is the reality that the Shrimadbhagavadgita has transformed the lives of countless people, common and elite, in India as well as across the world over a period of the last thousands of years. By guiding them well, the Shrimadbhagavadgita has provided them with a clear and concrete pathway by following which many of them became the Yugapurushas –the men of the era.

The Shrimadbhagavadgita is, as I have already mentioned in the very beginning, the culmination of philosophy. It has the best interpretation of the Dharma and culture. The Gita suggests many ways of the Yoga –to become one with the Satya. The Gita, as we know, is generally popular in relation to the reflection of the three main Yogas, the Jnanayoga, the Karmayoga and the Bhaktiyoga.

The foremost and, of course, an exclusive characteristic of the Gita is that one who discovers truth through it –makes endeavours for it, in whatever form or the way by following the path guided by the Yogeshwara through the Gita, he reaches the truth through that very path. The Lord Himself has said that those who come to Him (the Culmination of the Truth) in any form, or by any path or by any means (even offering a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water) with devotion and dedication, they assuredly attain Him only:

“Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam Yo Me Bhaktyaa Prayachchhati/
Tadaham Bhaktyupahritamashnaami Prayataatmanaḥ//” (–The Shrimadbhagavadgita, 9-26)

For centuries, theologists, thinkers and scholars have, accepting the all-time importance and superiority of the Shrimadbhagavadgita, interpreted this unique treatise differently, from their own respective viewpoints. In this context, the name of three Indians of the modern times, Sri Aurobindo, Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi have also been mentioned, who devoted themselves to the path of the Gita and made continuous endeavours in the direction of making their lives meaningful.

What I have found as ‘superiority’ from my deep perusal of the Shrimadbhagavadgita is the truth or eternity and simplicity pervading and flowing everywhere in it, which I have mentioned in the very first paragraph of discussion in hand.

The Indivisible Whole or Totality is the only reality. Everything, movable-immovable or visible- invisible, is within the periphery of the same Indivisible Totality; inseparable part of it –originated, manifested, created or crafted from the same. This is the basic and the eternal message of Yogeshwara Shrikrishna, the symbolic of the Truth, given through the Shrimadbhagavadgita creating Universal Unity. The same reality divulges at every step by the study of the Shrimadbhagavadgita. Especially, in the ninth and the tenth chapters of the Gita, the Yogeshwara Himself has elaborated on this. It is revealed in the eighteenth Shloka –verse of the ninth chapter:

“Gatirbhartaa Prabhuḥ Saakshii Nivaasah Sharanam Suhrit/

Prabhavah Pralayah Sthaanam Nidhaanam Biijamavyayam//”

(“I am the goal, foster, the master, the witness, the abode, the place of refuge and the beloved friend (the Maker of the Truth of Unity of all); I am also the source of creation and dissolution, the abode, all shelter and the imperishable seed.”)

In the twentieth verse of the tenth chapter of the Gita, the Lord says:

“Ahamaatmaa Guḍaakesha Sarvabhuutaashayasthitaḥ/

Ahamaadishcha Madhyam Cha Bhuutaanaamanta Eva Cha//”

(“I am seated in the heart of all entities; I am the beginning, middle and end of all beings.”)

Similarly, in the increasing order of the verses, through the thirty-ninth verse of the same chapter (tenth) the Lord says in a simple, comprehensible and clear manner:

“Yachchaapi Sarvabhuutaanaam Biijam Tadahamarjuna/

Na Tadasti Vinaa Yatsyaanmayaa Bhuutam Charaacharam//”

(I am, as the Indivisible Whole or Totality, the basic seed or source of all the creation and the basis of entirety, movable-immovable or the generating seed of all living beings. No creature can exist without me. To be devoid of Me would be to be devoid of the Base (the Truth)! Hence, all (and everywhere) is my form, and based upon me.”)

This order, as mentioned, continues, directly or indirectly, in the whole of the Shrimadbhagavadgita. In short, this truth, as I have comprehended from the study of the Gita, is constantly and in quite simple manner manifested in the form of such a learning for human beings, which becomes itself a unique and infallible means of fulfilling the purpose of his life –paving the way to make life meaning.

Karma is natural. Only continuous process of action is life. On the contrary, the end of one’s deeds means the end of his life. There is no alternative to it. The Lord, the Symbol of the Supreme Truth of Indivisible Totality and the Creator of Universal Unity, has placed this reality before man through His quite simple, easy and understandable dialogue in the Shrimadbhagavadgita. The Lord, while reminding man about the unique right conferred on him in the form of ‘Deed’ or ‘Karma’, has also called upon him to transform his acts into righteous ones.

Every deed or Karma must be performed by embracing the reality of Universal Unity, keeping the Indivisible Totality at its center and with the sole spirit of dedicating it to the Lord. Overcoming selfishness, one should indulge in acts dedicated to the welfare of all by renouncing leanings like desire, craving, attachment, lust, longing, etc., also desire for fruit, which is not his right. This is the way of transforming acts into righteous ones, in simple words, to take the way of the Nishkamakarmayoga, which is considered as the essence or the foremost message of the Gita:

“Karmanyevaadhikaaraste Maa Phaleshu Kadaachana/

Maa Karmaphalaheturbhuurmaa Te Sango’stvakarmani//”(–The Shrimadbhagavadgita, 2-47)

Accepting one’s own welfare in the welfare of all and overcoming the state of fear-doubt, attachment-aversion, also taking the situation of happiness-sadness as equal, and keeping the welfare of all in the centre, stepping forward on the pathway of life is selflessness. This is the lesson of the Shrimadbhagavadgita, which I have comprehended from this ‘art of living’ guide’.

‘It is man’s right to act only and he is not entitled to the fruit of action’, is the message of the Gita underlying the truth that ‘prosperity or richness and prestige are the natural rewards of dedication to selfless work’, which I have also learnt from the Shrimadbhagavadgita.