The Hindu Article - Perennial appeal of the Gita

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Date:08/03/2003 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2003/03/08/stories/2003030800800900.htm

 

Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Perennial appeal of the Gita

 

CHENNAI MARCH 8 . The Bhagavad Gita is a scriptural text of perennial

relevance and hence it will be instructive to find out the reason for

its appeal. It is perhaps due to the combination of a philosophy of

action and spiritual knowledge enunciated in it that enables one and

all to follow it in day-to-day life. The teachings of Lord Krishna

can be summarised as, "Realise your true nature. Perform action

according to scriptural injunctions as duty without attachment to the

result." There is a holistic approach to the human predicament in the

teachings.

 

The Gita starts with a graphic portrayal of Arjuna's moral dilemma.

He adduced reasons to withdraw from the battlefield and the Lord's

teachings begin at this point. He shows the inevitability of action

in human life and the futility of withdrawing from active engagement

in the world. Therefore it focusses on the right way of performing

action instead of giving up action, which the text summarises

as, "Your right is to work only but never to the fruit thereof.

Perform your duties established in Yoga. Renouncing attachment and

remaining even-tempered in success and failure is called Yoga."

 

In his discourse, Sri N.Veezhinathan said Lord Krishna had enunciated

the philosophical concepts cryptically in the second chapter and the

ensuing chapters elaborated them. There is a progressive shift of

focus from ethics to spirituality, to highlight that it is by leading

a moral life that man can develop detachment, which is necessary for

spiritual growth. Control of the senses and the mind, another

important prerequisite of spiritual life, is emphasised to show that

without self-discipline man cannot engage in higher pursuits.

 

The nature of the Self is expounded as the central theme of the Gita.

Prahlada defines true knowledge as that which liberates man from

bondage. When this yardstick is applied to the Gita one will

appreciate why this has been hailed as the quintessence of the

Upanishads. The crux of Lord Krishna's teachings is that only by

realising one's true nature as the Self (Atman), which is

consciousness, blissful and eternal, does man's sorrows come to an

end. When should one embark on this spiritual quest? Early in life,

if one takes the cue from child devotees like Prahlada who taught the

highest truth to his friends. But it is never too late either because

everyone has to make a beginning sometime.

 

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