claim to have achieved the state of
superconsciousness called Brahmisthiti .
Hundreds of thousands of readers are impressed by the greatness of
Gita-philosophy. But they are unable to practise its teachings since they have no capacity
to rise above their mundain limits. Various interpretations rendered on Gita by great
spiritual masters, no doubt, provide valuable guidance to humanity. But in modern times
when science and technology have taken the control of everything, pragmatic approach to
Gita-philosophy will provide another dimension to its social relevance. Admitting that the
Gita is a gospel, it can also be used for wordly purposes to build up a sound and healthy
social order. Outwordly it may look nonspiritual materialistic approach but in reality it
would become an applied philosophy, the application of spiritual ideas to pragmatic use.
It may appear as some kind of compromise with the
idealistic position that Bhagvad Gita presents. Majority of the people including the
author (renderer) of this version belong to the category who admiringly accept the
greatness of the Gita but are unable to follow its spiritual tenets to its logical
conclusions . It is beyond their capacity to practise. It does not mean that Gitas
idealistic position is an impossible proposition. Gita - philosophy has been severly
tested time and again and great many people have testified to its
validity. The pragmatic approach without any compromise with the basic tenets of
Bhagvad-Gita will serve the interests of majority of people who always remain outside the
domain of spiritualism.
Gita stands as a culminating point in the evolution of spritual
thoughts in india and it has become a parenial source of philosophical ideas thus
developed for the benefit of entire humanity. Whatever has been said earlier by Vedas and
Upanishads, by Sankhya of sage Kapil and Yoga of sage Patanjali has found its way in Gita
in a finer and better way. As a revolt against the heaven - seeking materialism of
sacrificial rituals of the vedas the path of knowledge propounded by Sankhya and the path
of contemplation propounded by Yoga flourished and the idealogy of renunciation had its
sway over the indian mind. In order to arrest this trend of otherwordliness and bring
balance of approach Gita stressed the importance of action thoroughly analysing its
mechanism which underlines the spirit of renunciation in wider sense. However Gitas
theory of action is not easy to follow. The individual needs power from within to imbibe
Gitas approach to life according to which ultimate goal should be freedom of the
soul, i.e. Mukti or Moksha . But majority of men in todays world of economic
domination created by science and technology do not subscribe to this view. Influenced by
worldly affairs leading to wordly pleasures and happiness they prefer to be slaves of
clouded vision.
This state of mind is totally different from that of Arjuna
whose mental dilemna prompted Lord Krishna to deliver this immortal song of philosophical
wisdom. Even Arjuna, at later stage confessed that Gita-philosophy faded away from his
memory and he needs revision of the same. Lord Krishna, too, expressed his inability to
recall it since it was revealed through the divinely unique mystical state of his mind.
The fact remains that Arjuna also had his own limitations in
practising Gita in day to day life. For every commentator Gita remained as unsolved riddle
though each one attempted his own interpretation born out of his personal encounter with
the Ultimate Reality. The mystical experience must have been the same for everyone but
interpretations differ due to their diverse intellectual capacities , different
educational settings, varied tastes and wordly limitations.
In understanding the supreme ends of life
in the prevalent socio-economic scenario all over the world one can avail the guidance
from Gita. Lord declares, "whenever the evil truimphs over the good, hold of
righteousness declines, I manifest myself to establish the kingdom of truth."
Todays world is full of tragedies mostly facing the problems of decadence through
violence, cruelty, unemployment , over - population, exploitation of the nature,
distruction of natural resources, environmental degradation, hunger, ignorance, hatred,
quarrels, deaths etc. etc.
In what way Gita can come to our rescue in such a turmoil ? Keeping its
metaphysical and spiritual conclusions aside for the exclusive benefit of the spiritual
aspirants who will always be small in number the remaining vast population all over the
world can have a plunge into its nectarlike thoughts about life and all that is related to
life to correct man-made ills of modern century. In his pursuit of happiness the modern
man remains discontented in todays world of consumerist culture built upon the
philosophy of self - aggrandizement. All the social ills witnessed today are arisen out of
mindless pursuits of selfish material gains.
The Bhagvadgita shows us the way to distroy these evils and inspires us to lead a happy
and peaceful life. According to scholars Gita laid down the foundation of Indias
ethics, sociology, polity and arts. Gitas ethical teachings if followed in true
spirit has an intrinsic strength to cure all our ills. Certain concepts philosophically
developed by the Gita can be applied to our life on behavioural
plane.
The fundamental doctrine of unity in all diversity, the same eternal
principle manifesting itself in animate and inanimate is a matter of mystical experience
and remains out of reach of the majority of people. But its connotation that all are equal
gives sufficient strength to unite all. The feeling of all-alike, the sense of empathy
will make you feel happy when others are happy and unhappy when others are unhappy. Gita
calls him a perfect man when one identifies oneself with others in pleasure and pain
alike. In todays world this feeling is totally lost creating barriers among living
as well as nonliving beings many times resulting into killings and destructions.
Gitas fundamental doctrine of oneness of the universe has been already proved on
physical plane by the unified field theory of quantum physics in modern times. The mankind
can easily adopt this as an unifying force to curb the devisive tendencies so immensly
growing today. "One who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me is a man of
wisdom" thus says the Gita for sustainance of all. Social tensions arising out of
greed and hatred can be instantly defused if such a universal approach based on Gita
philosophy of monism is practised in our day to day life sincerely and gracefully.
Another concept developed by Gita is that of Swadharma , ones own rightful duty.
According to Gita everybody is born with certain tendency and capacity to perform a
particular job in this world. According to these jobs the performers are classified into
four groups. Gita explains the concept of Chaturvarna four - cast system based on
this natural classification. Discarding the rigidity and gradation of the system, which
developed in the later age, Gita stresses the importance of doing ones own duty cast
upon him by his nature and ability, sincerely and perfectly. The absence of this
duty-consciousness is the real cause behind many ills of the present times. Gitas
emphasis on doing ones own duty unmistakenly and skillfully
will serve as a boon to modern world of wayward tendencies. "Let everywhere shine the
sun of dutyconsciousness so that everyones desires are fulfilled". Thus prayed
the great saints. If this is followed religiously by everyone, world would be freed from
proverty. Every one has different tendencies and capacities and accordingly his duties are
differenciated. Gita has spoken this highest truth for the benefit of mankind . But due to
human failures we fail in recognising our duty and go on performing something else
unbecoming of us. One has to do his own rightful duty then he is free from all sins.
The threefold modes called Triguna is a unique concept that Bhagvatgita has unfolded in
details. devoting one full chapter for it. Sattva rajas and tamas, the three material
forces known as gunas are the constituent elements of Prakriti, the creative power of
Brahman which by permutation and combination creates this universe of physical and
psychological variety. Every individual is also made of these three gunas in different
proportion with one guna predominating. Sattva makes him pure and shining, rajas makes him
passionate and active and tamas makes him ingnorant and sluggish. For self - realisation
the aspirant has to cross over the barriers or influences of these three gunas. However
this guna-transcendence is a very difficult task, rarely possible for selected few. The
transformation from tamas to rajas and rajas to sattva however can be achieved by the
individual by adhering to right conduct. The transcendence is difficult but transformation
is possible. Therefore every one should try to reach the pure state of sattva thereby
spreading happiness and knowledge everywhere because sattva guna develops great virtues
like duty - consciousness, modesty, tenderliness, contentment , faith, tolerance ,
compassion, reasoning etc. wheras rajoguna increasing develops vices like hatred, enmity,
jealousy, pride , arrogance, greed etc. The tamoguna increasing develops into disharmony,
fear, miserliness, ignorance, foolishness, cheating and faithlessness etc. Gita pleads for
sattvaguna increasing which ultimately leads the person to higher
realms.
Consciously or unconsciously man embarks
upon his life-journey through the channels of pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory
and defeat and many other pairs of opposites. They are inescapable. It is natural for
everyone to run after happiness and to avoid sorrow. When ones ambitions desiring
enjoyment and power are not fulfilled he becomes pessimist and leads a life of
frustration. Gita advises us to renounce all selfish desires and work making all life a
sacrifice offered with true devotion to God. But for ordinary men it is quite impossible
to work without desiring fruits. It is the motivating force behind their actions and
whatever advances the mankind has achived in physical and psychological fields is partly
due to this motivating factor. The actions, only when they become selfcentred,
conservrative and for trivial selfish gains, they bring catastrophe.
Therefore Gitas emphasis on raising a sattva - dominated character with
controlled passonate actions of rajoguna and laziness of tamoguna is adequate enough to
guide men of worldly passions to lead a life of virtues which is so essential in modern
times of deteriorated conditions. Man should learn the act of balancing all dualities by
acquiring equanimity of mind that will give him strength to accept pleasure & pain,
gain & loss and victory and defeat as an integral part of human life. The four
categories of devottees recognised by Lord Krishna in 7th chapter also includes devottees
in sorrows, and devottees desiring comforts alongwith devottees who are seekers of
knowledge and those who are reached the highest wisdom. Barring a few who are knowledge -
seekers and who are enlightened ones the world - weary and happiness-seekers are in
overwhelming numbers in this world. This overwhelming numbers need attention and Gita has
accepted them with open arms provided they are in the worship of god in their limited
capacity.
The mind is considered to be the eleventh organ
that functions in between ten organs of knowing and doing on one side and the intellect to
the other. It receives the impressions from the senses and carries them to the intellect
that distinguishes the sense-objects and classifies them. Gita says, "Feelings of
heat and cold, pleasure and pain, are caused by the contact of the senses with their
objects. They come and they go never lasting long." Not knowing this men get attached
to pleasure and hanker after it unmindfull of its consequences. Starting point in the
process of selfrealisation therefore is the control of the mind which is exceedingly
difficult exercise in life. Gita suggests many methods to achieve it but the simplest one
suggested is to do ones own duty sincerely and effectively without falling prey to
rage and lust. Spiritual discipline therefore start s with purification of mind
which otherwise is also very essential to lead a life of peace and happiness. With good
deeds and thoughts the mind gets purified. Todays socio-economic and socio-political
life has become abundantly currupt due to overwhelming impact of greed and anger. Purified
society can only be built by purified actions and thoughts of the purified souls. Rebirth
or no rebirth one should try to contribute in building a healthy society.
Bhagvadgitas ethics is universal in nature and needs to be applied to any
situation in life. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about Gita so early as 1925, "When
disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I find a verse here and 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, no indelible scar on me, I
owe it all to the teachings of the Bhagvadgita." Throughout the centuries the
Bhagvadgita has guided the humanity individually and collectively in the times of
upheavals. Todays world all over and especially in india, the very land of its
creation, the socio-economic and socio-political life has become full of misdeeds and
curupt practices due to all round curruption everywhere irrespective of unprecedented
material progress achived by the everflourishing science and
technology. The most tragic part of our currupt life is that the abnormality of curruption
has been converted into normality and people accept it as ideal living. Right and wrong,
moral and immoral, proper and improper all these terms have lost their meanings and the
acquisition of limitless selfish gains and benefits has become the only aim in life for
most of the people especially for those so called leaders who have illegally and immorally
earned money, name and prestige in the society. Earlier they enjoyed respectability till
they were convicted for their wrong deeds but now a days evenafter conviction they enjoy
social status and power . As described by the Gita in fourth chapter the present time the
men of demoniac character are ruining the mankind. So as promised by Lord Krishna the God
has to manifest in a new incarnation to kill these devils and establish the rule of
righteousness. Nobody knows when that day will dawn. Till then we have the nectarlike
teachings of Bhagvadgita to save us from self-destruction. The ethical principles
enumerated herebefore if brought in practice by every individual the downfall can be
arrested. Realisation or no realisation, rebirth or no rebirth, salvation or no -
salvation our efforts should be to purify the disturbed social ethos by applying these
principles in our day to day life irrespective of its great philosophy of spiritual and
metaphysical discipline of extraordinary height.
|