[Sri Ramakrishna] Why is Gita..................

[Guest guest]

Good job Milind

-

" Sathye, Milind " <MilindS

<Ramakrishna >

Tuesday, November 20, 2001 6:23 PM

[sri Ramakrishna] Why is Gita..................

 

 

> what i don't understand is why is the bhagvad gita so

> >important to many hindus when actually it's not the text of authority.

>

> Gita is important to Hindu's for several reasons some of which are as

under:

> 1. Unlike other religions where there is only one sacred text to be

> followed without questioning (and hence authoratative), in Hindu's the

> sacred texts are but dialogues between the teacher and the disciple. The

> disciple is free to raise questions, doubts etc and the teacher clarifies

> them. This is how the scriptures proceed (including Gita which is a

> dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna). One is free to challange the

version

> given by the teacher and come out with alternative explanation (alternate

> hypothesis). There are several such works (dialogues) which we call

> Upanishads. One is free to follow any of the Upanishads that appeals. But

> most people feel that Gita probably summarises the essential aspects of

> Vedic philosophy the best and who has time these days to read all the

> voluminous scriptures!! so people focus on Gita.

> 2. The beauty of Gita is it addresses the very core questions that arise

in

> our minds and leaves the rest. Gita is like an 'Executive Summary' of

> Indian scriptures.

> 3. Stalwarts in all walks of life have found that even if one understands

> Gita that is enough. For example, Gandhi once replied that if he was told

> to carry only one book to the jail then that book will be Gita. He also

> said that the inner peace that he can't find from the sermon on the mount

he

> finds it in Gita. Daag Hamurshould (the spelling could be wrong) former UN

> Secretary General carried Gita with him always and when he was killed in

> aircrash in his belongings was Gita. Goette (the famous French poet-

again

> forgive me if the spelling is wrong) when he read Gita started dancing

with

> joy. When such experiences are reported one naturally feels that one

should

> read the Gita.

> 4. Gita is a short scripture and can be memorised with effort.

> 5. In most Hindu rituals, slokas from the Gita are recited. For example,

> when a body is creamated it is usual in the Hindu's to recite the Gita

which

> tells that death is just a change of clothes. It immensley comforts the

> relatives of the departed.

> 6. There are other Hindu scriptures like 'Yoga Vasistha' which is a

dialogue

> between Rama and Vasistha which I found to be equally educative like the

> Gita but it is voluminous.

> I hope this explains why Hindu's consider Gita so sacred

>

>

> Dr Milind Sathye

>

Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> Vivekananda Centre London

> http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

>

>