Guest guest Posted December 21, 2004 Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 Dear Devotees: Dandavat Pranams. for this very auspicious day we have selected few information about the gita jayanti. We have added few points about the age of the gita, the meaning of the gita and gita jayanti and some quotes about the glories of the gita. ys tmkd -------- On the basis of the large number of astronomical data given in the Mahabharata itself by Srila Vyasadeva (all these data are said to be consistent), Prof. M. Rangacharya has calculated that the battle of Kuruksetra started at 6.30 a.m. on Friday, 22. November 3067 B.C. (That day was Ekadasi.) "Prof. Srinivas Raghavan of Sri Aurobindo Study Circle, Madras, approached the subject wholly on astronomical basis and while explaining his own paper and of Sri Sampat Iyengar observed that the Mahabharata itself is teeming with a number of astronomical data, which were all consistent. The Rajasuya Yajna was performed on the Jyestha Mula Amavasya day (Sabha Parva, ch. 36) i.e. with the sun at 2400 of the Govt. of India Zodiac. 15 years later, the Amavasya was with the sun at 224.75 Jyestha as described by Veda Vyasa in Udyoga Parva, ch. 14. Three lunations later on Magha Sukla Astami day (Bhisma Nirvana day), the sun was at 318.0. The previous day the sun was at 316.5. Veda Vyasa clearly states that it was Rohini Naksatra on Bhisma Nirvana (Anusasana Parva, ch. 237, 273, Santi Parva, ch. 46). Therefore, in the year of the Mahabharata War, the vernal equinox was at 46.5. Now in 1975 A.D. it is at 23.4: hence it has moved by 69.9 at an average rate of 72.5 years per degree. Therefore, the age of the Mahabharata War was 69.9 x 72.5 = 3190 B.C." Swami Bon Maharaja (quoted in the same book) has calculated as follows: Lord Sri Krsna passed away from this world on the Amavasya of Pausa of 5076 i.e. 3101 B.C. or 3179 before Saka era and that was the beginning of Kali-yuga. Lord Sri Krsna was born 125 years 4 months before this date i.e. 5201 of Bhadra Krsna Astami or 3226 B.C. The War of the Mahabharata started 36 years before Lord Krsna left this world i.e. on Amavasya day of Pausa of 5112 i.e 3136 Pausa Amavasya B.C. (February). --------- Gita Jayanti. This is the anniversary day commemorating the day that Srimad Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Sri Krishna to His dearmost devotee Arjuna at the place now known as Jyotisar Tirtha amid the waring families of the Kurus and the Pandavas at Kurukshetra. If one wishes one can still go and visit that place and see the monument erected there with Krishna as Parthasarati (the chariot driver) and Arjuna the warrior on their chariot. It is claimed by the ashram who maintain the shrine that the tree that is next to Them is a continum growth of the original tree witness that was there at the actual day of speaking. Traditionally devotees come to Kurukshetra (Dharmakshetra) and recite Bhagavad Gita from early morning until the next morning, perform arati to Bhagavad Gita and to Krishna and Arjuna upon the chariot, offer lamps 'deep daan' at Brahma Sarovar, shloka recitals, shobha yatras and seminars on the significance of the Gita today. Devotees who cannot get to Jyotisar Tirtha remember the blessed event by reciting Bhagavad Gita, performing Bhagavad Gita ahuti of each verse or selected chapters into the sacred fire, and discussing the subject matter of Bhagavad Gita in the association of devotees. Distribution of Bhagavad Gitas' on this day is also a very auspicious activity to perform. What is the Bhagavad Gita? The Bhagavad Gita(BG) was spoken by Sri Krishna to His friend and disciple, Arjuna at the beginning of the epic war, Mahabharata. BG provides the concise conclusion of the millions of verses in all the Vedic scriptures. In just eighteen chapters containing seven hundred verse, Sri Krishna answers all questions about the duty of the living entity. In glorifying the BG, Lord Shiva says in the Gita Mahatmya (Padma Purana) that it is sufficient to lead one to liberation. How should one read the BG? The BG should be studied in the same mood as it was heard by Arjuna. Sri Krishna declares that He is revealing this most confidential knowledge to Arjuna because is not envious and He is a friend. So one must read and understand the BG in the mood of at least theoretically accepting the position of Krishna as God. This knowledge is never revealed to one who reads it in a challenging and speculative mood. Owing to the universal message in the BG, many people take to it instinctively. Unfortunately its importance has also given rise to many people speculating and misinterpreting it. In order to protect the trusting people from this kind of cheating, Sri Krishna stresses the importance of Paramapara (disciplic succession) and Guru (spiritual master) in receiving the knowledge of the BG. Who should read the BG? The BG is often referred to as the "Handbook for humanity". Never in the BG has Sri Krishna restricted the scope of the BG to Hindus or Indians. It is completely non-denominational, meant for any one inquiring about his reason for existence. Indeed many people following Christianity or Islam get a much better perspective of their own religion after reading the BG and are able t o follow their religions with greater conviction. What is Purpose of the BG? The BG was spoken to guide the conditioned soul on the path of the spiritual advancement. It is presented as principle and details. The dominating principle of the BG is to develop God consciousness. In the details, Sri Krishna explains three primary ways of doing this and then further expands on these paths. He then relates them to each other and brings forth the single most effective path for returning back to God What are the three paths? These paths are explained as yoga. The Sanskrit word "yoga" means connecting to the absolute, and it is in this context that the word yoga is used in the BG. The three paths given by Sri Krishna are Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga. The first six chapters primarily discuss Karma yoga, liberation by performing prescribed activities. The last six chapters primarily talk about Jnana yoga, liberation by worshipping the Lord through one's intelligence. Ensconced between these two "protective" covers, like a pearl in the oyster, in the middle six chapters, Krishna reveals the most confidential of all knowledge, Bhakti yoga, the path of pure, unalloyed devotional service. He declares this to be the highest, the easiest and the fastest path to Him, and for one who is fortunate to embark on it, the binding illusions of Maya are dispelled in no time. What is Karma yoga? A person situated in Karma yoga executes one's prescribed duties. These duties are as prescribed by the Varnashrama system created By Krishna through the Vedas. According to one's ability and inclination, a person may acquires a particular varna. He may become a Brahaman (teacher, guide), Ksatriya (administrator, warrior), Vaishya (merchant, farmer) or Sudra (worker). According to his situation he lives in one of the four ashrams: Brahamacari (student), Grahastha (married), Vanaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (detached). The eight fold Varnashram system is created to allow one to be aware of his prescribed duties and execute them properly. It is important to note here is that the BG stresses that a varna is acquired by one's ability and inclination, never by birth. So in the BG, there is no support of the "caste-system" prevalent in India. The Varnashram system appears naturally in all societies over the world. Performing prescribed duties will earn a person much pious credit, but it will also continue to bind him to the material world. So Karma can be "sakarma" (done in anticipation of enjoying its fruits) or "nishkarma" (detached from the results). In both cases a person is attached to performing the activity. However, when a person performs activities only for the pleasure of the Lord, he has reached the stage of Bhakti. For instance Sadhna (japa, arati, kirtan) are activities performed with no material motives, simply to glorify or remember the Lord. Thus Karma yoga can be used to elevate one self to the position of Bhakti yoga by first performing prescribed activities, then renouncing the fruits of the activities to Krishna and finally by renouncing the activity in itself to Krishna. What is Bhakti yoga? The path of devotion is described as the most confidential path back to Godhead. It is described as the "elevator" approach to Krishna as opposed to all the other "staircase" paths. The essence of the Bhakti yoga is summarized by Sri Krishna in Chapter 9, Verse 34, as follows: "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me." This verse, often considered to be the summary verse of the entire BG, contains the essence of the existence of a spirit soul. In the material world, trapped in the illusory sense of identifying with the body and its extensions, a spirit soul remains forever bewildered by the duality of existence. However by simply surrendering to Krishna, understanding Him to be the original, primeval cause of all causes and thus worshipping Him without any desires of material benefit, one can easily go back to Him. Bhakti yoga does not mean inactivity. Indeed a bhakta is most active, for he sees all his activities now in relation to the Supreme. But he is detached from the activity and the fruits of the activity, neither happy in success nor distressed in failure, understanding that all this is ultimately for Krishna and coming from Him only. What is Jnana yoga? In the Jnana section Krishna elaborates about the five factors of existence: Isavara (God), Jivatma (Soul), Kala (Time), Karma (actions) and Prakriti (Nature). He explains that while Kala, Prakriti, Jiva and Isavara are eternal, Karama is not. As long as one is involved in fruitive activities, the cycle of Karma, performed in one of the three modes of material Nature (goodness, passion, ignorance) is binding. For every action, good or bad, there is a reaction. This cycle can only be broken by performing devotional service, since that does not have any reactions, good or bad. In this stage the person transcends the material plane of existence and enters into the spiritual realm. When Krishna explains the path of spiritual advancement by knowledge, Arjuna gets confused between the Karma (action) and Jnana (inaction). Krishna explains that one must strive for activities performed in knowledge of Him, which will ultimately lead to Bhakti. Philosophy without faith is speculation, and faith without philosophy is rituals. The two must complement each other. Thus, Krishna once again stresses that the ultimate goal of all transcendentalists is Him. They may reach Him directly by Bhakti or first reach Bhakti through Karma or Jnana. Why has Krishna given alternatives? A confusing aspect of the BG is the fact that while acknowledging the superiority of Bhakti yoga. Krishna spends considerable time talking about Jnana and Karma yoga. He even speaks briefly about the eight fold astanga yoga process followed by the mystics. For many people this is very confusing if not apparently contradictory. In reality. Krishna is offering some thing for every one according to their levels of advancement and inclination. As God, He does not interfere with the free will of a living entity. But as the most compassionate well wisher He wants every one to leave this material world of misery and return to the original spiritual abode. So, for a person attracted to action, there is Karma yoga. For the intellectual there is Jnana yoga. For the mystic there is astanga yoga. The BG meets the person at the level they are in and gradually elevates them to the platform where they become qualified to execute Bhakti yoga, pure devotional service. A very few fortunate souls, by the causeless mercy of Krishna and His devotees, are able to take directly to Bhakti, and for them the way back to Godhead is quick and easy. -------- The Bhagavad Gita "When I read the Bhagavad-Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous." ~ Albert Einstein "The Bhagavad-Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions." ~ Dr. Albert Schweizer "The Bhagavad-Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of humanity." ~ Aldous Huxley "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." ~ Carl Jung "In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonical philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita, in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seems puny and trivial." ~ Henry David Thoreau "The marvel of the Bhagavad-Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life's wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion." ~ Herman Hesse "The Bhagavad-Gita calls on humanity to dedicate body, mind and soul to pure duty and not to become mental voluptuaries at the mercy of random desires and undisciplined impulses." "When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day." ~ Mahatma Gandhi "The Bhagavad-Gita deals essentially with the spiritual foundation of human existence. It is a call of action to meet the obligations and duties of life; yet keeping in view the spiritual nature and grander purpose of the universe." ~ Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru "I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-Gita . It was the first of books; 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." "The Bhagavad-Gita is an empire of thought and in its philosophical teachings Krishna has all the attributes of the full-fledged monotheistic deity and at the same time the attributes of the Upanishadic absolute." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson "In order to approach a creation as sublime as the Bhagavad-Gita with full understanding it is necessary to attune our soul to it." ~ Rudolph Steiner "From a clear knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita all the goals of human existence become fulfilled. Bhagavad-Gita is the manifest quintessence of all the teachings of the Vedic scriptures." ~ Adi Sankara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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