By Chandan Sukumar Sengupta
Lord Krishna instructed Arjun for gaining absolute knowledge. Yoga in action cannot work alone for giving the feeling of the presence of the Divine within the self. There requires involvement of true knowledge. Knowledge alone without any action cannot bring desired result. That is why culmination of both knowledge and action is essential for feeling the presence of a supernatural creator within the self.
The state of such feeling of the culmination of knowledge and senses can make the process of renunciation of the soul possible. Aspiration of only renunciation without acquiring knowledge and without performing duty cannot work properly. It will put an individual in a state of utter confusion. The state of Self Esteem signifies the appropriate and timely correlations in between time, effort, knowledge and skills for making the role of an individual a meaningful one in the immediate surroundings.
Most interpreted scripture in Indian Philosophy is The Bhagavadgita (श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता) or The Beautiful Song of God.[1] It is 700 verse long Vedic Scripture which is a part of the Epic Mahabharata (chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma Parva), dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE and is typical of the Hindu synthesis.[2] The Krishna – Arjuna conversation in Gita covers up a broader range of spiritual topics and also narrates right duty of an individual in society.[3] Gita is interested as an allegory for the ethical and moral struggle of human life.[4] This Holy Scripture also presents a synthesis of the Vedic ideals of Religion, theistic Devotion and ideals of Yoga.[5]
This Holy Scripture may be old, might have jointly and collectively narrated and compiled by various saints but was not known to people before 8th Century when Adi guru Shanakracharya made this scripture famous by writing his much followed commentary on it.[6] It is also difficult to assign the authorship of this Holy Scripture to any one saint or philosopher. The time of the compilation of this scripture is also widely discussed at different instances and by different scholars time to time. It was composed in an era when ethics of war in society was questioned and renunciation of monastic life was becoming popular.[7] It has a unique Pan-Hindu influence.[8] It acts as a perfect guidebook to aspirants having eagerness to prosper in the field of a synthetic study of Indian Philosophy. It also acts as a starting point of remembered canonical base.[9] Being a summarised representation of Vedanta, Gita is also considered as a key text of Vedanta (a theoretical foundation of Hinduism, more perfectly to say Sanatan or Vedic Traditions and Rituals).[10] It has also successfully incorporated various religious traditions which came into practice during the Epic Age and proposed a synthetic ideal to be followed by every individuals for attainment of enrichment by means of knowledge, actions, duties and worship.5 Vedic traditions, Upanishadic doctrines, devotional wisdom and philosophical insight were perfectly reflected in the discourses of lord Krishna as a comprehensive synthesis.[11]
The synthetic answer of the Bhagavadgita recommends that one should accept “both-and” view instead of “either-or” state of confusion and dilemma.[12] The text states and acknowledges the Divine omnipresence at every instance in the entire realm of creation which also confers our role as a performer of offering services without making any kind of distinction or without waiting for any return or reward.[13] Paths of spiritual realisation or individual advancement also vary as different individuals survive and remain active in nature along with different temperaments (Gunas or qualities).3 Some individuals prefer working on the subject areas they prefer suitable for them. Some of them are more reflective and intellectual, some affective and engaged by their emotions, some prefer getting involved in different assignments rapidly by becoming action driven, yet others prefer experimentation and exploring what works. The path of knowledge, devotion, action and meditation were proposed accordingly to address varying needs of the diverse community. The inter-dependency of all these paths was also pointed out at different instances in the text and suggested the fellow warrior that none of the paths can be isolated from the other segment in the form of an isolated mean of advancement. One should gain knowledge, for an example to understand the inter-relationship of paths of Yoga, to acquire skills and competence of performing duties with adequate efficiency. None of the paths, as stated in the Holy Scripture, are superior or inferior, rather they all converge in the same path of attainment of a state of spiritual, mental and intellectual advancement which is needed for recognising omnipresence of the Divine.[14]
Another question which often compel us to think about the relevance of the Holy Scripture is related to the time and context when teachings of Gita delivered by the Lord to Warrior Arjun during the Epic Age. Is this text still relevant? Will it work in accord to the variations and complications we have in the modern context? Will Gita provide masterly instructions to people of modern society? Will it bring some sort of synthesis of different faiths as we have today? … There are several other questions related to analysis of the relevance of the Holy Scripture in the modern context.
Most perfect interpretation which can be advanced in this regard can be advanced by figuring out the number of commentaries and essays compiled by saints and philosophers time to time to address the relevance of the teachings inscribed perfectly in the Holy Text. Arjun in Gita represents every common individual of society and lord Krishna represents the Divine which drives the intellect and memory of an individual by staying beside.
Such a perfect combination of a creation, with which teachings of the Holy Scripture is advanced, will be suffice for considering the creation of the Epic Age as equally relevant in the modern context. It is an established fact that people prefer searching out a relevant and time tested solution from the Holy Text by correlating various combinations of teaching duly inscribed and delivered repeatedly at various instances for letting oneself to gain adequate level of confidence and mastery by all means. Analytical study of the modern context will be advanced in this volume of publication to link up the present day situation and the value system with which the Holy Scripture was advanced. If we make ourselves capable enough to overcome the limitations of prejudices and bias then it is confirmed that the value system and synthetic approach of spirituality, as duly advanced at various instances in the Gita, will enlighten people differently and capacitate them also to follow holy instructions inscribed in the Bhagavadgita.
The original volume of the Holy Scripture had no chapterisation as we are witnessing today in modern formats having eighteen different chapters.[15] Chapterisation was made on the basis of their linkages with the definite paths or combined paths of Yoga. Chapter two, for an example got the title “Sankhya Yoga” and Chapter three as “Karmayoga.” Chapter three is also considered as a theological response to Arjun’s dilemma. Discussion will be advanced on the different areas of Yoga which were incorporated in the Holy Text at different instances. The main purpose of this publication is to link up the need of the Holy Scripture in the Modern Digital Age to let individuals from different walks of life to gain mastery in their respective fields of study.
Most interpreted scripture in Indian Philosophy is The Bhagavadgita (श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता) or The Beautiful Song of God.[16] It is 700 verse long Vedic Scripture which is a part of the Epic Mahabharata (chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma Parva), dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE and is typical of the Hindu synthesis.[17] The Krishna – Arjuna conversation in Gita covers up a broader range of spiritual topics and also narrates right duty of an individual in society.[18] Gita is interested as an allegory for the ethical and moral struggle of human life.[19] This Holy Scripture also presents a synthesis of the Vedic ideals of Religion, theistic Devotion and ideals of Yoga.[20]
This Holy Scripture may be old, might have jointly and collectively narrated and compiled by various saints but was not known to people before 8th Century when Adi guru Shanakracharya made this scripture famous by writing his much followed commentary on it.[21] It is also difficult to assign the authorship of this Holy Scripture to any one saint or philosopher. The time of the compilation of this scripture is also widely discussed at different instances and by different scholars time to time. It was composed in an era when ethics of war in society was questioned and renunciation of monastic life was becoming popular.[22] It has a unique Pan-Hindu influence.[23] It acts as a perfect guidebook to aspirants having eagerness to prosper in the field of a synthetic study of Indian Philosophy. It also acts as a starting point of remembered canonical base.[24] Being a summarised representation of Vedanta, Gita is also considered as a key text of Vedanta (a theoretical foundation of Hinduism, more perfectly to say Sanatan or Vedic Traditions and Rituals).[25] It has also successfully incorporated various religious traditions which came into practice during the Epic Age and proposed a synthetic ideal to be followed by every individuals for attainment of enrichment by means of knowledge, actions, duties and worship.5 Vedic traditions, Upanishadic doctrines, devotional wisdom and philosophical insight were perfectly reflected in the discourses of lord Krishna as a comprehensive synthesis.[26]
The synthetic answer of the Bhagavadgita recommends that one should accept “both-and” view instead of “either-or” state of confusion and dilemma.[27] The text states and acknowledges the Divine omnipresence at every instance in the entire realm of creation which also confers our role as a performer of offering services without making any kind of distinction or without waiting for any return or reward.[28] Paths of spiritual realisation or individual advancement also vary as different individuals survive and remain active in nature along with different temperaments (Gunas or qualities).3 Some individuals prefer working on the subject areas they prefer suitable for them. Some of them are more reflective and intellectual, some affective and engaged by their emotions, some prefer getting involved in different assignments rapidly by becoming action driven, yet others prefer experimentation and exploring what works. The path of knowledge, devotion, action and meditation were proposed accordingly to address varying needs of the diverse community. The inter-dependency of all these paths was also pointed out at different instances in the text and suggested the fellow warrior that none of the paths can be isolated from the other segment in the form of an isolated mean of advancement. One should gain knowledge, for an example to understand the inter-relationship of paths of Yoga, to acquire skills and competence of performing duties with adequate efficiency. None of the paths, as stated in the Holy Scripture, are superior or inferior, rather they all converge in the same path of attainment of a state of spiritual, mental and intellectual advancement which is needed for recognising omnipresence of the Divine.[29]
Another question which often compel us to think about the relevance of the Holy Scripture is related to the time and context when teachings of Gita delivered by the Lord to Warrior Arjun during the Epic Age. Is this text still relevant? Will it work in accord to the variations and complications we have in the modern context? Will Gita provide masterly instructions to people of modern society? Will it bring some sort of synthesis of different faiths as we have today? … There are several other questions related to analysis of the relevance of the Holy Scripture in the modern context.
Most perfect interpretation which can be advanced in this regard can be advanced by figuring out the number of commentaries and essays compiled by saints and philosophers time to time to address the relevance of the teachings inscribed perfectly in the Holy Text. Arjun in Gita represents every common individual of society and lord Krishna represents the Divine which drives the intellect and memory of an individual by staying beside.
Such a perfect combination of a creation, with which teachings of the Holy Scripture is advanced, will be suffice for considering the creation of the Epic Age as equally relevant in the modern context. It is an established fact that people prefer searching out a relevant and time tested solution from the Holy Text by correlating various combinations of teaching duly inscribed and delivered repeatedly at various instances for letting oneself to gain adequate level of confidence and mastery by all means. Analytical study of the modern context will be advanced in this volume of publication to link up the present day situation and the value system with which the Holy Scripture was advanced. If we make ourselves capable enough to overcome the limitations of prejudices and bias then it is confirmed that the value system and synthetic approach of spirituality, as duly advanced at various instances in the Gita, will enlighten people differently and capacitate them also to follow holy instructions inscribed in the Bhagavadgita.
The original volume of the Holy Scripture had no chapterisation as we are witnessing today in modern formats having eighteen different chapters.[30] Chapterisation was made on the basis of their linkages with the definite paths or combined paths of Yoga. Chapter two, for an example got the title “Sankhya Yoga” and Chapter three as “Karmayoga.” Chapter three is also considered as a theological response to Arjun’s dilemma. Discussion will be advanced on the different areas of Yoga which were incorporated in the Holy Text at different instances. The main purpose of this publication is to link up the need of the Holy Scripture in the Modern Digital Age to let individuals from different walks of life to gain mastery in their respective fields of study.
[1] Davis, Richard H. (2014), The ‘Bhagavad Gita’: A Biography, Princeton University Press, ISBN 9780691139968
[2] “Bhagavadgita | Definition, Contents, & Significance | Britannica”. www.britannica.com. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
[3] Sargeant, Winthrop (2009), Christopher Key Chapple (ed.), The Bhagavad Gītā: Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-1-4384-2841-3
[4] M.V. Nadkarni (2016). The Bhagavad-Gita for the Modern Reader: History, Interpretations and Philosophy. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-315-43899-3.
[5] Eliot Deutsch; Rohit Dalvi (2004), The Essential Vedānta: A New Source Book of Advaita Vedānta, World Wisdom, Inc, ISBN 978-0-941532-52-5
[6] Swami Vivekananda (1958). The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Vol. 4 (12th ed.). Advaita Ashram. pp. 102–104.
[7] Arthur Llewellyn Basham (1991). The Origins and Development of Classical Hinduism. Oxford University Press. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-0-19-507349-2.
[8] J.A.B. van Buitenen (2013). The Bhagavadgita in the Mahabharata. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-21902-8.
[9] NV Isaeva (1992), Shankara and Indian Philosophy, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-1281-7, p. 35 with footnote 30
[10] Singh, Karan (2005), Hinduism, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd
[11] Robinson, Catherine A. (2006), Interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gītā and Images of the Hindu Tradition: The Song of the Lord, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-34671-9
[12] Franklin Edgerton (1952). The Bhagavad Gita, Part 2. Harvard University Press. pp. 91–92.
[13] Minor, Robert N. (1986), Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavadgita, Albany, New York: State University of New York, ISBN 0-88706-297-0
[14] Upadhyaya, Kashi Nath (1998), Early Buddhism and the Bhagavadgītā, Motilal Banarsidass Publ, ISBN 978-81-208-0880-5
[15] Maitra, Keya (2018). Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Introduction. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-350-04017-5.
[16] Davis, Richard H. (2014), The ‘Bhagavad Gita’: A Biography, Princeton University Press, ISBN 9780691139968
[17] “Bhagavadgita | Definition, Contents, & Significance | Britannica”. www.britannica.com. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
[18] Sargeant, Winthrop (2009), Christopher Key Chapple (ed.), The Bhagavad Gītā: Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-1-4384-2841-3
[19] M.V. Nadkarni (2016). The Bhagavad-Gita for the Modern Reader: History, Interpretations and Philosophy. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-315-43899-3.
[20] Eliot Deutsch; Rohit Dalvi (2004), The Essential Vedānta: A New Source Book of Advaita Vedānta, World Wisdom, Inc, ISBN 978-0-941532-52-5
[21] Swami Vivekananda (1958). The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Vol. 4 (12th ed.). Advaita Ashram. pp. 102–104.
[22] Arthur Llewellyn Basham (1991). The Origins and Development of Classical Hinduism. Oxford University Press. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-0-19-507349-2.
[23] J.A.B. van Buitenen (2013). The Bhagavadgita in the Mahabharata. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-21902-8.
[24] NV Isaeva (1992), Shankara and Indian Philosophy, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-1281-7, p. 35 with footnote 30
[25] Singh, Karan (2005), Hinduism, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd
[26] Robinson, Catherine A. (2006), Interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gītā and Images of the Hindu Tradition: The Song of the Lord, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-34671-9
[27] Franklin Edgerton (1952). The Bhagavad Gita, Part 2. Harvard University Press. pp. 91–92.
[28] Minor, Robert N. (1986), Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavadgita, Albany, New York: State University of New York, ISBN 0-88706-297-0
[29] Upadhyaya, Kashi Nath (1998), Early Buddhism and the Bhagavadgītā, Motilal Banarsidass Publ, ISBN 978-81-208-0880-5
[30] Maitra, Keya (2018). Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Introduction. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-350-04017-5.
