Does Gita contain Political Philosophy In It?

January 20, 2010

Respected Sir/Madam,I Neeta Tanwani regularly read ur articles. I am very much influenced by it and i have adopted some in my personal life also. I am very thankfull to u for sending these articles to me . Its my request that please continue them.Gita is a great epic. It is the guiding book for all in today`s time. I owe a great respect for Gita.I am a student of Gita Philosophy, in my studies i have a question which i am not able to get ans. I wanted to know that what is the political base in Gita or the political teaching of Gita. Does Gita contains political philosophy in it. I hope u can guide me in this so that i can carry on with my studies further.Waiting for ur reply,RAM RAM Regards,Neeta Tanwani

===========================================GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: PLEASE -FOR QUESTIONER1. The questions as far as possible must be relevant to Gita, relevant toDharma, relavant to other scriptures and relevant to motivate Sadhaks to take upspiritual path2. The Questioner must commit to daily Gita study3. Only one question at a time.4. Question must be brief, to the point and relevant to the group's primary aimof deeper understanding of Gita.GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES for RESPONDER: PLEASE -1. Only responses that further clarify Gita message will be posted.2. Quote Gitaji/scriptures wherever possible.3. Limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that theyfurther help in understanding the Gita shlokas4. Be as concise, to the point, respecting sadhaka's time.5. Focus on subject at hand only.6. Do not include links to the other sites; personal information (Ph #, addressetc) or personalize message to particular person7. All responses may not be posted and moderator at his discretion, may modifythe posting.8. Please keep in mind novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Limitthe use to Sanskrit words and provide English word bracketed.MODERATORRam Ram------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------Post message: Subscribe: - Unsubscribe: -

January 22, 2010

Respected Sir/Madam,I Neeta Tanwani regularly read ur articles. I am very much influenced by it and i have adopted some in my personal life also. I am very thankfull to u for sending these articles to me . Its my request that please continue them.Gita is a great epic. It is the guiding book for all in today`s time. I owe a great respect for Gita.I am a student of Gita Philosophy, in my studies i have a question which i am not able to get ans. I wanted to know that what is the political base in Gita or the political teaching of Gita. Does Gita contains political philosophy in it. I hope u can guide me in this so that i can carry on with my studies further.Waiting for ur reply,RAM RAM Regards,Neeta Tanwani

===========================================

NEW POSTING

Dear Nitaji, you ask "Does Gita contain Political Philosophy in it?Before we can answer it one way or the other, let me say that Philosophy means Love for Truth! In today's politics, Truth and Love both seem to be absent! Gita is about Truth that is Love also. So, right there is a problem to establish any such Political base in Gita.However, Gita has answers to any questions one can have either directly or sometimes indirectly. Actually, to answer your question "what is the political base in Gita?" I would say Gita itself is(should be) the Base of all politics, rather than other way around! Alas, it is not the case and hence we see lots of corruption in political systems world over!Lord Krishna has played the role of a great Politician who who attempted to avoid war between brothers by presenting Himself as peace representative of Pandavas. He also showed us how to stand against unjust behavior on the part of anyone including his own! With this base He advised Arjuna which is what Gita is! So, sure it has applications in Politics too!The entire Gita teaching addresses the issues of righteousness, freedom, peaceful coexistence, right to own kingdom and to rule it justly for its subjects, all required for a stable political system!Above all Gita upholds and serves Truth even as it is difficult to to do so in a war! The message is also of courage to lay down one's life protecting Dharma. Mahatma Gandhi always was guided by Gita when facing tough situations in or out of politics. He practiced Truth in Politics proving its value!Finally it proves that Truth always, ultimately prevails over untruth! I wish more Politician would practice Gita Philosophy!Namaskar.........Pratap Bhatt

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Madam,

First let mepoint out that Bhagavad Gita is not an EPIC. Gita means Bodha or teaching of a very superior knowledge. Bhagavad Gita could be understood as the teaching by Bhagavaan or a teaching that helps to realize Bhagavaan - the Parama Atma. I am very happy that you read Bhagavad Gita regularly and are influenced by the content. The knowledge obtained will bless you. The purpose of Gita is to remove superstition from the so called religious attrocities created by Smritis (please refer to 4.2 of Gita). Regarding politics and Gita, you may not find explicitly political principles and administrative methods.

It is absolute truththat a good administrator has to be first a good and decent being. To be a good and decent being is THE TEACHING OF GITA. Gita does not accept the now repeated argument "My personal life is unnecessary to you; look at my official work". In Karma Yoga, Krishna (I am uncomfortable with Krishnaji and Gitaji and such needless Ji's) tells us the truth:

yAT YAT AACARATI SRESHTAH TAT TAT EVA ITARO JANAH

SA YAT PRAMAANAM KURUTE LOKAH TAT ANUVARTATE

What ever is adopted by the leader, is taken as the standard and mimicked by others.

Thus, it is the responsibility of the leaders to be spotless, transparent and set model for the others to follow. If a president of a country maintains a sexual relation with a model whose nude pics are on website and makes his par amours ministers then the nation will be doomed for this president is taken as idol.

Such Slokas are many in Gita. Leaders are from us and so if we keep ourselves in the right path the leaders will be in the correct path and "DESO AYAM KSOBHA RAHITO" will be realized. When we vote on the basis of caste religion and pseudo moralities and magnanimities, and for a bottle of whisky and for a 5hundred note, what can Gita do to help us, Not even Krishna can or will help. Long Back Plato in his Republic said

Until philosophers rule as kings (politicians) or those who are now ruling as kings or leaders genuinely and adequately philosophize; that i suntil political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the natures who at present pursue one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no relief from evil - nor I think will the mankind (Republic 473 c-d)

It is essential that the individual citizen becomes perfect; and Gita s the way to perfection. But Gita is not a book of Public Administration.

God bless all

Samudrala Krishna

-----------

Dear M'am,

Your question on the Gita vis-à-vis `Politics' raises the basic question: What is Politics today? If it consists of deception for achieving ends, Gita has nothing to do with it. If it is Gandhi ji's politics, i.e. framing of honest, ennobling policies for the good of a just cause and faithful implementation thereof dutifully, the entire teaching of Gita promotes politics. Decide for yourself.

With best wishes,

KN (Kamleshwar Nath)

-----

Shree Hari

Ram Ram

In your use of the word politics if it means "diplomacy" then this word has not been used any where in the Gita. If any reviewer of the Gita says someting about Gitaji putting on the color of "diplomacy" then what will be gained? For diplomacy itself Gita has been relayed, but Gita has not spoken about diplomacy, rather it is only addressed for all human beings. So be it,

Vineet Sarvottam

--------

Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshita is the simple message in its full political defenition. All politics is to rule the land and the ruler's job is to protect Dhrama. Dharma is not just goodness shared with the whole society by the ruler. To know the extend of that goodnes one has to study the ruler like Sri Ramachandra.

Raja's job is to protect Dhrama and then Dhrama will take care of the well being of all.

rammohan varier

-GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: PLEASE -FOR QUESTIONER1. The questions as far as possible must be relevant to Gita, relevant toDharma, relavant to other scriptures and relevant to motivate Sadhaks to take upspiritual path2. The Questioner must commit to daily Gita study3. Only one question at a time.4. Question must be brief, to the point and relevant to the group's primary aimof deeper understanding of Gita.GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES for RESPONDER: PLEASE -1. Only responses that further clarify Gita message will be posted.2. Quote Gitaji/scriptures wherever possible.3. Limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that theyfurther help in understanding the Gita shlokas4. Be as concise, to the point, respecting sadhaka's time.5. Focus on subject at hand only.6. Do not include links to the other sites; personal information (Ph #, addressetc) or personalize message to particular person7. All responses may not be posted and moderator at his discretion, may modifythe posting.8. Please keep in mind novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Limitthe use to Sanskrit words and provide English word bracketed.MODERATORRam Ram------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------Post message: Subscribe: - Unsubscribe: -

January 23, 2010

Respected Sir/Madam,I Neeta Tanwani regularly read ur articles. I am very much influenced by it and i have adopted some in my personal life also. I am very thankfull to u for sending these articles to me . Its my request that please continue them.Gita is a great epic. It is the guiding book for all in today`s time. I owe a great respect for Gita.I am a student of Gita Philosophy, in my studies i have a question which i am not able to get ans. I wanted to know that what is the political base in Gita or the political teaching of Gita. Does Gita contains political philosophy in it. I hope u can guide me in this so that i can carry on with my studies further.Waiting for ur reply,RAM RAM Regards,Neeta Tanwani

===========================================

NEW POSTING

Shree Hari

|| Ram Ram ||

Dear Nitaji, prasana ke liye dhanyavad! Thanks to Shri Pratap Bhattji for a very good response. The ideals are laid out in our scriptures for the welfare of mankind, but it is up to us to interpret and apply these ideals for the well being of all. It also depends what is end and aim of our lives. Politics has developed a bad connotation in this day and age, the politicians are not concerned about the truth or honesty or moral values or the betterment of the masses. Their only aim seems to be to use their influence of the office to become rich and famous, regardless of what means they have to employ to meet their objective. In the olden days, kings were not so selfish, they cared about the welfare of the common man.

Gitaji is a complete scripture covering broadly all aspects of human life. Here are few of the verses in Gitaji which relate to this subject: Verse 3-20: Example of Maharaja Janaka is given showing how to combine the ideals of spiritual life at the personal level and ruling justly the subjects (in the true spirit of Karma Yoga).

Verse 18-43: The duties of a ruling class are explained. Verse 3-9 explains that all actions should be performed in the spirit of Yajna (sacrifice). Verse 3-10 & 11 say - At the beginning, when the creator (Prajapati) created living beings with sacrifice (Yajna) and said "By this you shall propagate; let this fulfill all your requirements for the sacrifice (Yajna)." By this you gratify the gods and the gods will foster you, thus caring for each other and selflessly performing your duties, you shall attain to the supreme good.

|| Ram Ram || Humble regards,Madan Kaura

Does Gita contain Political Philosophy In It?

Gita, as a matter of fact anything else, cannot provide answer to any question … but, lets you unearth one as per your capacity, capability, perseverance, awareness and most importantly your truthfulness.

After all what is politics? A cluster of emotional notions, driven by its conjugate of notional emotions, thriving hard to promote itself, harvesting the favorable notions around and within to inflate itself so as to curb the unfavorable ones anywhere to safegaurd its very existence and promote its hegemony around. That happens in every atom. Chlorine mixes with the base elements to safegaurd its existence ... not with halogens! A Hydrogen plays more intriguing politics of going any side!! Inert elements play a harder game of ignoring all others!!! Every cell attempts politics ... every being attempts politics ... every community attempts politics ... the very living, the very survival is nothing but politics. It is engraved in the very genes that are the basis for the life on the planet earth - to promote its own class. In a way, every being is a politician of its own kind - it may know it or it may not.

The politics within surfaces and gets polluted with the floating politics around. As the politics oozing and flooding from various individuals variantly, it gets inflated and confused creating chaos called Maya, this world, the floating politics.

Bhagavdgita focuses on the root cause for all the politics, the politics within. The rest of the Mahabharata deals with the politics around. Mahabharata is the most abundant resource to study the politics ever. Gita and Bharata together address the path to apolitics, to transcend the politics being within the same.

I don't want to preach you with high-sounding principles such as righteousness, truthfulness, etc. as the survival in life, the cosmic politics, transcends both the values and taboos that we try to harvest in our own interest. Being a politician of success needs that detatchment to appreciate the social reality and one's own relevance within the same in close quarters. The character KrishNa is an embodiment of that clarity that makes him succeed to steer the soceity toward its own destiny in the epic of Mahabharata. Yet, he alone knows there was no steering involved in the whole process and that the politics steered itws way all along.

In Mahabharata, KrishNa is the only "politician" or "player" who is independent of the politics around ONLY BECAUSE he is free of the politics within as well. A politician not being driven by the politics from within alone will remain impervious to the flood of politics from around. Only such a "politician" (or, should we say, "apolitician"?) can ever have true clarity on life, soceity and world to steer the same toward their own sanity and sanctity.

A politician who remains absolutely aloof to the politics in spite of being the seed, the food as well as the fruit of all the politics in the world is KrishNa, The Vaasudeva. From Him, comes The Bhagavadgita, the sceince of being aloof to the politics in spite of being within the same. That way, Bhagavadgita is a prophecy of apolitics, a sceince of being absolutely apolitical in life, being absolutely baggageless in our journey, being absolutely buoyant in existence, .... a science of absolute liberation as such. The apolitical poetry of revalations (Bhagavadgita) is embedded in the political epic of intrigues (Mahabharata) to emphasise the need for an apolitical seeker to observe the political reality from which the seeker hails from to start with, to live with and to die with. Therefore, Gita attains its fruition only within the Bharata.

The apolitical aphorisms of Gita is the culmination of the gruesome political broiling from the intrgues of gambling to atrocities of war in the Bharata waged between cowardice to live and cowardice to die, between fear of life and fear of death, between desire for survival and desire for emancipation ... It is revealed within the intriguing Bharata at its atrocious zenith where the expectations and disappointments are pitted against each other in a bloody war. It is revealed to the one who wanted an exit from the very conflict. It is revealed by the one who had been immune to the whole conflict in spite of being within the same. The revalations advise the seeker to wage the war against the very conflict.

Gita is the treatise on the intrigues of politics - its roots as well as its fruits. Gita is the terminal antidote for the political suffering removing the roots as well as the fruits of the politics. Gita is the truely apolitical launch pad for a seeker helping him to blast all his bondage, throw away all his baggages, and plunge into the eternal apolitical freedom vested in KrishNa, The Vaasudeva. A truly apolitical seeker would start listening the distant melodies of His wonderful flute ...

Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam sharaNam vraja |

Aham tvam sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maashuchah ||

As the song comes closer and closer to one's heart, as it starts resonating from within, as it encompasses the whole being, … all the politics are washed away completely where HE and HE ALONE remain dancing and singing in JOY.

Respects.

Naga Narayana.

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Dear Sadak,Political philosophy is that Dharma (Righteousness) should be established if any King fails in his duty. More details read Vithura Neethi.B.Sathyanarayan

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Dear Sadhakas, Namaste!One more point may be mentioned here taking this question as an excuse to comment!Why do we divide Life into segments such as individual life, family life, social life, business life, political life, national life etc etc.? How can a father and Husband who may be so ruthless manager at office be so loving and kind at home?When we do such fragmentation of One Life into many such divisions, each such fragment is in conflict with others!When we try to live life in such a fragmentary ways, don't we live in conflict, and thereby compromise the morality?Life can't be divided based on selfish interests of one segment of a nation versus another!If we put all together, become one WHOLE LIFE, we would act wisely to resolve socio-political and economic problems!One gets all the right directions from such WHOLENESS of Being to address all Political issues!Question may arise as to how do we be WHOLE as individual, family, or society or nation and still function as though individual with responsibility?Answer to this question is:It just so happens that Bhagwat-Gita is one of such scriptures to make us WHOLE by giving proper perspectives on Life!By the way, divisions into family, society, and nation all make sense to function objectively, impartially, for the sake of management of nation's resources and its equitable distribution. If such divisions are based on WHOLENESS, they produce results for all of us mentioned in Gita!Namaskar...........Pratap Bhatt

-----

Dear Nitaji, you ask "Does Gita contain Political Philosophy in it?Before we can answer it one way or the other, let me say that Philosophy means Love for Truth! In today's politics, Truth and Love both seem to be absent! Gita is about Truth that is Love also. So, right there is a problem to establish any such Political base in Gita.However, Gita has answers to any questions one can have either directly or sometimes indirectly. Actually, to answer your question "what is the political base in Gita?" I would say Gita itself is(should be) the Base of all politics, rather than other way around! Alas, it is not the case and hence we see lots of corruption in political systems world over!Lord Krishna has played the role of a great Politician who who attempted to avoid war between brothers by presenting Himself as peace representative of Pandavas. He also showed us how to stand against unjust behavior on the part of anyone including his own! With this base He advised Arjuna which is what Gita is! So, sure it has applications in Politics too!The entire Gita teaching addresses the issues of righteousness, freedom, peaceful coexistence, right to own kingdom and to rule it justly for its subjects, all required for a stable political system!Above all Gita upholds and serves Truth even as it is difficult to to do so in a war! The message is also of courage to lay down one's life protecting Dharma. Mahatma Gandhi always was guided by Gita when facing tough situations in or out of politics. He practiced Truth in Politics proving its value!Finally it proves that Truth always, ultimately prevails over untruth! I wish more Politician would practice Gita Philosophy!Namaskar.........Pratap Bhatt

-

Madam,

First let mepoint out that Bhagavad Gita is not an EPIC. Gita means Bodha or teaching of a very superior knowledge. Bhagavad Gita could be understood as the teaching by Bhagavaan or a teaching that helps to realize Bhagavaan - the Parama Atma. I am very happy that you read Bhagavad Gita regularly and are influenced by the content. The knowledge obtained will bless you. The purpose of Gita is to remove superstition from the so called religious attrocities created by Smritis (please refer to 4.2 of Gita). Regarding politics and Gita, you may not find explicitly political principles and administrative methods.

It is absolute truththat a good administrator has to be first a good and decent being. To be a good and decent being is THE TEACHING OF GITA. Gita does not accept the now repeated argument "My personal life is unnecessary to you; look at my official work". In Karma Yoga, Krishna (I am uncomfortable with Krishnaji and Gitaji and such needless Ji's) tells us the truth:

yAT YAT AACARATI SRESHTAH TAT TAT EVA ITARO JANAH

SA YAT PRAMAANAM KURUTE LOKAH TAT ANUVARTATE

What ever is adopted by the leader, is taken as the standard and mimicked by others.

Thus, it is the responsibility of the leaders to be spotless, transparent and set model for the others to follow. If a president of a country maintains a sexual relation with a model whose nude pics are on website and makes his par amours ministers then the nation will be doomed for this president is taken as idol.

Such Slokas are many in Gita. Leaders are from us and so if we keep ourselves in the right path the leaders will be in the correct path and "DESO AYAM KSOBHA RAHITO" will be realized. When we vote on the basis of caste religion and pseudo moralities and magnanimities, and for a bottle of whisky and for a 5hundred note, what can Gita do to help us, Not even Krishna can or will help. Long Back Plato in his Republic said

Until philosophers rule as kings (politicians) or those who are now ruling as kings or leaders genuinely and adequately philosophize; that i suntil political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the natures who at present pursue one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no relief from evil - nor I think will the mankind (Republic 473 c-d)

It is essential that the individual citizen becomes perfect; and Gita s the way to perfection. But Gita is not a book of Public Administration.

God bless all

Samudrala Krishna

-----------

Dear M'am,

Your question on the Gita vis-à-vis `Politics' raises the basic question: What is Politics today? If it consists of deception for achieving ends, Gita has nothing to do with it. If it is Gandhi ji's politics, i.e. framing of honest, ennobling policies for the good of a just cause and faithful implementation thereof dutifully, the entire teaching of Gita promotes politics. Decide for yourself.

With best wishes,

KN (Kamleshwar Nath)

-----

Shree Hari

Ram Ram

In your use of the word politics if it means "diplomacy" then this word has not been used any where in the Gita. If any reviewer of the Gita says someting about Gitaji putting on the color of "diplomacy" then what will be gained? For diplomacy itself Gita has been relayed, but Gita has not spoken about diplomacy, rather it is only addressed for all human beings. So be it,

Vineet Sarvottam

--------

Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshita is the simple message in its full political defenition. All politics is to rule the land and the ruler's job is to protect Dhrama. Dharma is not just goodness shared with the whole society by the ruler. To know the extend of that goodnes one has to study the ruler like Sri Ramachandra.

Raja's job is to protect Dhrama and then Dhrama will take care of the well being of all.

rammohan varier

-GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: PLEASE -FOR QUESTIONER1. The questions as far as possible must be relevant to Gita, relevant toDharma, relavant to other scriptures and relevant to motivate Sadhaks to take upspiritual path2. The Questioner must commit to daily Gita study3. Only one question at a time.4. Question must be brief, to the point and relevant to the group's primary aimof deeper understanding of Gita.GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES for RESPONDER: PLEASE -1. Only responses that further clarify Gita message will be posted.2. Quote Gitaji/scriptures wherever possible.3. Limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that theyfurther help in understanding the Gita shlokas4. Be as concise, to the point, respecting sadhaka's time.5. Focus on subject at hand only.6. Do not include links to the other sites; personal information (Ph #, addressetc) or personalize message to particular person7. All responses may not be posted and moderator at his discretion, may modifythe posting.8. Please keep in mind novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Limitthe use to Sanskrit words and provide English word bracketed.MODERATORRam Ram------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------Post message: Subscribe: - Unsubscribe: -