DIVINE SPARK, USAWELCOME TO GITASANDESHABHAGAVAD-GITA STUDY
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COMMENTS:
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1.In response to the question by Shri Mathi. In Chapter1 Verse 9, Shri Jayakrishna Nelamangala has answered.
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Shri Koti Sreekrishna The format I mentioned does not exist anywhere to my knowledge. It is just my wish/vision at this point. I am trying to put together the entire gItA in that format. I just completed chapter 1. Please see whether it serves the intended purpose. Thanks, Regards, Koti Sreekrishna KEY: a A i I u U Re RE LRe LRE aE ai O au am aH ka kha ga gha n~ ca cha ja jha N~ Ta Tha Da Dha Na ta tha da dha na pa pha ba bha ma ya ra la va sha SHA sa ha La xa shrI-ma-dbha-ga-va-dgItA - CHAPTER I dhRe-ta-rA-SHTra u-vA-ca:- dha-rma-xaE-traE ku-ru-xaE-traE sa-ma-vaE-tA yu-yu-tsa-vaH | mA-ma-kAH pA-NDa-vA-shcai-va ki-ma-ku-rva-ta sam-ja-ya ||1|| sam-ja-ya u-vA-ca:- dRe-SHTvA tu pA-NDa-vA-nI-kam vyU-Dham du-ryO-dha-na-sta-dA | A-cA-rya-mu-pa-sa-N~ga-mya rA-jA va-ca-na-ma-bra-vIt ||2|| pa-shyai-tAm pA-NDu-pu-trA-NAm A-cA-rya ma-ha-tIm ca-mUm | vyU-DhAm dru-pa-da pu-traE-Na ta-va shi-SHyaE-Na dhI-ma-tA ||3|| a-tra shU-rA ma-haE-SHvA-sa bhI-mA-rju-na sa-mA yu-dhi | yu-yu-dhA-nO vi-rA-Ta-shca dru-pa-da-shca ma-hA-ra-thaH ||4| DhRe-SHTa-kaE-tu-shcaE-ki-tA-naH kA-shi-rA-ja-shca vI-rya-vAn | pu-ru-ji-t ku-nti-bhO-ja-shca shai-bya-shca na-ra-pu-nga-vaH ||5|| yu-dhA-ma-nyu-shca vi-krA-nta u-tta-mau-ja-shca vI-rya-vAn | sau-bha-drO drau-pa-daE-yA-shca sa-rva aE-va ma-hA-ra-thAH ||6|| a-smA-kam tu vi-shi-SHtA yaE tA-nni-bO-dha dvi-jO-tta-ma | nA-ya-kA ma-ma sai-nya-sya sam-jN~A-rtham tAn bra-vI-mi taE ||7|| bha-vAn bhI-SHma-shca ka-rNa-shca kRe-pa-shca sa-mi-tim-ja-yah | a-shva-tthA-mA vi-ka-rNa-shca sau-ma-da-tti-sta-thai-va-ca ||8|| a-nyaE ca ba-ha-vah shU-rAH ma-da-rthaE tya-kta-jI-vi-tAH | nA-nA sha-stra-pra-ha-ra-NAH sa-rvaE yu-ddha-vi-shA-ra-dAH ||9|| a-pa-ryA-ptam ta-da-smA-kam ba-lam bhI-SHmA-bhi-ra-xi-tam | pa-ryA-ptam tvi-da-maE-taE-SHAm ba-lam bhI-mA-bhi-ra-xi-tam ||10|| a-ya-naE-SHu ca sa-rvaE-SHu ya-thA-bhA-gam a-va-sthi-tAH | bhI-SHma-maE-vA-bhi-ra-xa-ntu bha-va-ntaH sa-rva aE-va hi ||11|| ta-sya sam-ja-na-ya-n ha-rSHam ku-ru-vri-ddhaH pi-tA-mahaH | sim-ha-nA-dam vi-na-dhyO-cchaiH sha-n~kham da-dhmau pra-tA-pa-vAn ||12|| ta-taH sha-n~khA-shca bhaE-rya-shca pa-Na-vA-na-ka-gO-mu-khAH | sa-ha-sai-vA-bhya-ha-nya-nta sa sha-bda-stu-mu-lO-(a)bha-vat ||13|| ta-taH shvaE-tai-rha-yai-ryu-ktaE ma-ha-ti sya-nda-naE sthi-tau | mA-dha-vaH pA-NDa-va-shcai-va di-vyau sha-n~khau pra-da-dhma-tuH ||14|| |
| Here is an explanation sent by Padma Priya in response to Raghupati Boorla's Comments (Raghupati Boorla's comment):I have a problem in classifying Dharma. If there can be a Yuga Dharma then there can be Sthana Dharma or Desha Dharma. Look at western world and our country. What is Adharma (eating beef for example) in India is Dharma in most of western world. This can not be Dharma because by definition Dharma ought to be invariant. It is loosely called situational ethics. In my opinion, Dharma is far different concept than ethics. **** I apologize if I have I have not been able to explain the whole thing properly. But according to what I have read and understood there are two sides to dharma, one which is eternal, and which can never become obsolete, and when you are saying Dharma is invariant you may be referring to that aspect of dharma which is called Sanathana Dharma, but the other aspect of it is definitely variant and not invariant as you said. You are right when you say that there can be a Sthana Dharma or Desha Dharma. I would like to present experts by Swami Nikhilanda of Ramakrishna Vivekananda center New York, and by Swami Shivananda of The Divine Life society Rishikesh. I hope this will help us better understand what Dharma means. Swami Shivananda in a Lecture on "Hindu Dharma" specifies, "No language is perfect. There is no proper equivalent word in English for the Sanskrit term Dharma. It is very difficult to define Dharma. Dharma is generally defined as 'righteousness' or 'duty'. Dharma is the principle of righteousness. It is the principle of holiness. It is also the principle of unity." Bhishma says in his instructions to Yudhishthira which is a part of Shanthi parva of Mahabharatha says that whatever creates conflict is Adharma, and whatever puts an end to conflict and brings about unity and harmony is Dharma. Anything that helps to unite all and develop pure divine love and universal brotherhood is Dharma. Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony and foments hatred is Adharma. The various other definitions, which I came across from various sources, are as follows. That which brings well-being to man is Dharma Dharma supports this world. The people are upheld by Dharma. That which accrues preservation of beings is Dharma. Dharma leads to eternal happiness and immortality. That which is Dharma is verily the Truth Therefore, whosoever speaks the truth is said to speak Dharma, and whosoever speaks Dharma is said to speak the truth. One and the same thing becomes both. Dharma includes all external deeds, as well as thoughts and other mental practices, which tend to elevate the character of a man. Dharma comes from the Divine and leads you to the Divine. Dharma is the cementer and sustainer of social life. The rules of Dharma have been laid down for regulating the worldly affairs of men. Dharma brings as its consequence happiness, both in this world and in the next. Dharma is the means of preserving one's self. If you transgress it, it will kill you. If you protect it, it will protect you. It is your soul companion after death. It is the sole refuge of humanity. That which elevates one is Dharma. This is another definition. Dharma is that which leads you to the path of perfection and glory. Dharma is that which helps you to have direct communion with the Lord. Dharma is that which makes you divine. Dharma is the ascending stairway unto God. Self-realization is the highest Dharma. Dharma is the heart of Hindu ethics. God is the center of Dharma. Dharma means Achara or the regulation of daily life. Achara is the supreme Dharma. Rishi Kanada, founder of the Vaiseshika system of philosophy, has given the best definition of Dharma, in his Vaiseshika Sutras: "That which leads to the attainment of Abhyudaya (prosperity in this world) and Nihsreyasa (total cessation of pain and attainment of eternal bliss hereafter) is Dharma". Root Word: The word Dharma is derived from the root DHR- to hold-and its etymological meaning is 'that which holds' this world, or the people of the world, or the whole creation from the microcosm to the macrocosm. Dharma is so called, because it holds: Dharma alone holds the people, etc. It is the eternal Divine Law of the Lord. The entire creation is held together and sustained by the All-powerful Law of God. Practice of Dharma, therefore, means recognition of this Law and abidance by it. The Changing Dharma Swami sivananda in his lecture on Hindu Dharma said "Just as a doctor prescribes different medicines for different people according to their constitution and the nature of their disease, so also Hinduism prescribes different duties for different people. " He further says "Rules for women are different from the rules for men. The rules for different Varnas (castes) and Ashramas (the four stages of life) vary. But, non-violence, truth, non-stealing, cleanliness and control of the senses, are the duties common to all men." He specifically emphasizes, "Dharma depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and the community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is different from that of the tenth century. There are conditions under which Dharma may change its usual course. Apad-Dharma (apad = distress)) is such a deviation from the usual practice. This is allowed only in times of extreme distress or calamity. What is Dharma in one set of circumstances becomes Adharma in another set of circumstances. That is the reason why it is said that the secret of Dharma is extremely profound and subtle." Lord Krishna says in the Gita: "Let the scriptures be the authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done" - Gita, Ch.16- 24). Dharma in Other Religions All other religions also lay stress on Dharma. Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and Islam are all remarkably alive to its value. Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Kant, Swedenborg and Spinoza are all striking examples in the interesting history of Western philosophy for the high pedestal on which they have placed morality, duty and righteousness, and adored them all as the only means to the attainment of the goal of life. Each religion lays greater stress on certain aspects of Dharma and So those aspects form the universal or Sanathana Dharma Kinds of Dharma Manu has classified dharma under two heads: 1. Samanya or the general, universal Dharma (Sanathana Dharma which is Invariant) 2. Visesha or the specific, personal Dharma Manu in his Manusmrithi has given a tenfold characteristics of Dharma and specifically says that Dharma assumes various kinds: Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Law), Samanya Dharma (general duty), Visesha Dharma (special duty), Varnashrama Dharma (duties of caste and Order), Svadharma (one's own duty), Yuga Dharma (duty of the age or period in history), Kula Dharma ((duty of family), Manava Dharma (duty of man), Purusha Dharma (duty of male), Stri Dharma (duty of female), Raja Dharma (duty of king), Praja Dharma (duty of subjects), Pravritti Dharma (duty in worldly life) and Nivritti Dharma (duty in spiritual life). Sanatana Dharma Sanatana Dharma means the Eternal religion, the Ancient Law. This is based on the Vedas. This is the oldest of living religions. Hinduism is known by the name Sanatana Dharma. What the Vedas alone declare to be the means of attaining the final emancipation is the Sanatana Dharma or Hindu Dharma. Samanya Dharma Every religion has a generic form or Samanya Rupa and a specific form or Visesha-Rupa. The general form remains eternally the same. It is never changed by any circumstance whatever. It is not affected at all by changes of time, place, surroundings and individual differences. This aspect of religion is called Sanatana or Eternal. That which changes according to the change of time, place and surrounding circumstances is the external aspect or ritual, of Dharma. Samanya Dharma is the general Dharma or law for all men. All, irrespective of distinctions of Varna and Ashrama, creed or color, must practice the Samanya Dharma. Goodness is not the property of any one class, creed, sect or community. Every man possesses this virtue. 1.Contentment, 2.forgiveness, 3.self-restraint, 4.non-stealing, 5.purity, 6.control of senses, 7.discrimination between right and wrong, as also between the real and the unreal, 8. Spiritual knowledge, 9.truthfulness and 10.absence of anger come under the general or universal Dharma. The Vishnu Samhita enumerates forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the mind, purity, practice of charity, control of the senses, non-violence, service of the Guru, visiting places of pilgrimage, compassion, simplicity, absence of greed, worship of the gods and the Brahmanas, and absence of malice as the ingredients of Samanya Dharma, the general law for all men. The Mahabharata enumerates as the fundamentals of Dharma: 1.The performance of Sraddha or offering oblations to the forefathers, 2.Religious austerity, 3.Truth, 4.Restraint of anger, 5.Satisfaction with one's wife, 6.purity, 7.Learning, 8.Absence of envy, 9.Knowledge of the Self and 10.Forbearance It is said in Padma Purana that Dharma proceeds from continence, truthfulness, austerity, charity, self-control, forbearance, purity, non-violence, serenity and non-thieving and that one should recognize Dharma by these ten factors. According to this Purana, bestowing gifts on deserving persons, fixing one's thoughts on Lord Krishna, adoration of one's parents, offering a portion of the daily meal to all creatures and giving a morsel of food to a cow are the characteristics of Dharma. According to Matsya Purana, freedom from malice, absence of covetousness, control of the senses, austerity, celibacy, compassion, truthfulness, forbearance and fortitude constitute the fundamentals of Sanatana Dharma. Patanjali Maharshi, the exponent of Raja Yoga philosophy, recommends that all men should practice ten virtues. The first five are: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Brahmacharya (celibacy in thought, word and deed), Asteya (non-stealing) and Aparigraha (non-covetousness). These constitute Yama or self-restraint. The other five virtues are: Saucha (internal and external purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study of scriptures or recitation of Mantra) and Isvarpranidhana (consecration of the fruits of all works to the Lord). These constitute Niyama or religious observance. The Gita enumerates the following virtues as Daivi-Sampat or divine qualities: fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in the Yoga of Wisdom, alms-giving, self-restraint, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness, harmlessness, truth, absence of wrath, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion to living beings, non-covetousness, mildness, modesty, absence of fickleness, vigour, forgiveness, purity and absence of envy and pride. All these virtues are manifestations of the four fundamental virtues: 1. Non-violence, 2. Truth, 3.Purity, 4.Self-control All the above virtues come under the above four cardinal virtues. The virtues that are enumerated under the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism and the virtues prescribed by Lord Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, also come under the above fundamental virtues. Swami Nikhalananda in his famous lecture on ethics says "Ethics, which concerns itself with the study of conduct, is derived, in Hinduism, from certain spiritual concepts; it forms the steel-frame foundation of the spiritual life. Though right conduct is generally considered to belong to legalistic ethics, it has a spiritual value as well. Hindu ethics differs from modern scientific ethics, which is largely influenced by biology; for according to this latter, whatever is conducive to the continuous survival of a particular individual or species is good for it. It also differs from utilitarian ethics, whose purpose is to secure the maximum utility for a society by eliminating friction and guaranteeing for its members a harmonious existence. Hindu ethics prescribes the disciplines for a spiritual life, which are to be observed consciously or unconsciously as long as man lives." He also says that Hindu ethics is mainly subjective or personal, its purpose being to eliminate such mental impurities as greed and egoism, for the ultimate attainment of the highest good. Hindu thinkers have also considered objective ethics, which deals with social welfare. It is based upon the Hindu conception of Dharma, or duty, related to a man's position in society and his stage in life. Objective ethics, according to the Hindu view, is a means to an end, its purpose being to help the members of society to rid themselves of self-centeredness, cruelty, greed, and other vices, and thus to create an environment helpful to the pursuit of the highest good, which transcends society. Hinduism further speaks of certain universal ethical principles, which apply, to all human beings irrespective of their position in society or stage in life. The ethical doctrines of the Hindus are based upon the teachings of the Upanishads and of certain secondary scriptures, which derive their authority from the Vedas. But though their emphasis is mainly subjective, the Upanishads do not deny the value of social ethics. For instance, we read: "As the scent is wafted afar from a tree laden with flowers, so also is wafted afar the scent of a good deed." Among the social virtues are included 'hospitality, courtesy, and duties to wife, children, and grandchildren.' In one of the Upanishads, a king, in answer to a question by a Rishi regarding the state of affairs in his country, says: "In my kingdom there is no thief, no miser, no drunkard, no man without an altar in his home, no ignorant person, no adulterer, much less an adulteress." Ethical actions calculated to promote social welfare is enjoined upon all who are identified with the world and conscious of their social responsibilities. Without ethical restraint there follows social chaos, which is detrimental to the development of spiritual virtues. According to the Upanishads, the gods, who are the custodians of society, place obstacles in the path of those who seek liberation from samsara, or the relative world, without previously discharging their social duties. As a person realizes the unreality of the world and the psychophysical entity called the individual, his social duties gradually fall away; but they must not be forcibly given up. The observance of social ethics, in a large measure, preserved Hindu society when various outside forces threatened to destroy it. The neglect of social ethics, on the other hand, has undermined its vitality. How, by suitable ethical disciplines, the brutish man may become a decent man, a decent man an aristocrat, and the aristocrat a spiritual person, has been explained by a story in one of the Upanishads. Dharma and Ethics Swami Nikhalananda says, "The key to the individual and social ethics of Hinduism is the conception of Dharma, whose full implications cannot be conveyed by such English words as religion, duty, or righteousness. Derived from a root, which means to support, the word signifies the law of inner growth by which a person is supported in his present state of evolution and is shown the way to future development." " A person's Dharma is not imposed by society or decreed by an arbitrary god, but is something with which he is born as a result of his actions in previous lives. Dharma determines a man's proper attitude toward the outer world and governs his mental and physical reactions in a given situation. It is his code of honor." He also says that "Hinduism emphasizes the relative nature of Dharma, and does not recognize absolute good or evil; evil may be described as what is less good. One cannot stipulate what is absolutely good or evil for all men at all times. The attempts to do so, and to judge all people by a single concept of Dharma or impose upon all a single idea of righteousness, has been the cause of much injustice to humanity. If one wants to give a comprehensive definition of good and evil, one may say that what helps men toward the realization of God or the unity of existence is good, and its reverse is evil. But one faces difficulties when one tries to work out practical details." A soldier unsheathes his sword to vindicate law and justice, whereas a saint lays down his own life for the same purpose. The injunction of non-killing cannot therefore have a universal application, at least at the present state of human evolution. He also emphasizes that " A man must not give up his imperfect Dharma, determined by his inborn nature; all actions have elements of imperfection in them. He should follow his own Dharma and should not try to imitate the Dharma of another, however perfect the latter may be. By performing his duties in a spirit of worship without seeking any personal result, a man ultimately realizes God, in whom alone all duties and values of life find fulfillment. The Mahabharata narrates the stories of a housewife and an untouchable butcher who, by following their respective Dharmas, realized the highest truth and became teachers of the knowledge of Brahman. Based on these readings I said that Dharma is a way of life, and forms the core of social ethics. I definitely agree that my statement may be an over generalization. If you say Dharma is something more then that, then I request you to throw some light on it and try to explain what it is. ****************************************************** (Raghupati Boorla's coment:)Secondly, I think there is no need to defend Bhishma's behavior. He made a conscious choice to be with Kauravas as also he made another choice in revealing the means of his defeat to Panadavas. Different people will judge his actions differently. But the facts remain. ******** My attempt to answer Mr. Mathi's question was not an action to judge Bhisma or anyone. I was only trying to understand what is Dharma is. If faced with a similar situation in life one should be able to abide by Dharma and I think that is the whole purpose of this Study of Gita, and definitely not to judge or defend someone's behavior. I have made a sincere attempt to understand the thing and answer the question. I definitely do not say I am totally correct. Also I request anyone who has read the Gita and other scriptures before to kindly provide us with more insight so that we all can understand the concept clearly and Gain from it. ******** Thanks and regards, Padma |
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Raghupati Boorla |
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Raghupati Boorla What is the symbolism of conchshell? Why do you think Bhishma blew his conch
shell with a hidden message or purpose?
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Here is a mail from Mr Raghupathi Boorla, in response to the question by Mr Mathi, and the answer by Padma Priya in the verse 10 of Chapter 1. |
| 1. In answer to yesterdays question posed in verse 9
by Mr Mathi, Padma priya has sent her opinion. Q) Is it right for one to support someone who doesn't follow the path of Dharma so that one may fulfil his duty/obligation to this person? A) If we are obligated to some one or owe something to someone then it is definitely our duty to repay it back to them, or fulfil the obligation, which we have.But here the question which comes to my mind is, is following Dharma not our duty? And if both are duties which should be given precedence? To answer this question, we must know the definition of Dharma first. We say we must follow Dharma, but what is it that we have to follow? What exactly is this Dharma? Religion in general and Vedanta in particular have time and again proclaimed that man is essentially divine. He is by nature immortal, holy and perfect. Sin and weakness, finitude and death, and the pettiness and meanness, fear and grief arising within him, are not his true forms. They are like passing clouds before the sun. When man under such clouds hears this truth, he makes all effort to achieve that state. This is the ultimate truth, which Upanishads have proclaimed time and again. Upanishads also emphasize the liberation or realization of this truth not by just a single individual, but of the whole group of individuals as a unit called society. Dharma according to Upanishads is Social ethics, it is the integrating principle between man and man in a society which should be followed to achieve the ultimate goal of realizing the truth.Dharma is something, which is ethically good, and Upanishad says that the way to spiritual realization is through ethical goodness, and ethical goodness is something man acquires in a social context and which sustains social order. The Mahabharatha also defines Dharma as that which sustains society, holding its members together in a unity. So when we speak in terms of society, Dharma is certain rules which when adhered to will lead to abhyudaya or progress or social welfare both in terms of spiritual and materialistic ways. A high level of social welfare accordingly indicate a correspondingly high level of dharmic or socio ethical sense in the community. At the level of an individual it can be considered as righteousness on the part of the individual. His ability to be a part of this group called society in a way that helps not only him but also others to achieve their respective goals. Truth (Satya) expresses itself as righteousness (Dharma) in human life. Truth cannot be molded or shaped to suit human convenience. Dharma on the other hand must be made to conform to truth. As Swami Vivekananda said : “ Truth does not pay homage to any society, ancient or modern. Society has to pay homage to Truth, or die. Societies should be moulded upon truth and truth has not to adjust itself to society….That society is the greatest, where the highest truths become practical. That is my opnion and if society is not fit for the highest truths, make it so. And the sooner the better”. Dharma can be of two types. One is the Sanathana Dharma, which is not bound by time and space, it is universal and applicable to all times. The upanishads are a treasure of this Sanathana Dharma. Where as there is something called Yuga Dharma, which is applicable to only a particular time and which changes from time to time. Yuga Dharma evolves according to the changes in society, and is usually suitable for people living at a particular time. But it is very important that no matter in what way the Yuga Dharma evolves, it still should reinforce the Sanathana Dharma. Sanathana Dharma consists of the sruthi part of our scriptures, and Yuga Dharma relates to the smrithi part. So Dharma is a way of life, a life style, that dictates how you lead your life. And I think it is the single most important thing to be considered, as it is not just you who is involved, but the society as a whole deteriorates when dharma is not upheld. And that is what Sri Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, I will appear time ad again, in different forms to uphold Dharma. One should realize that if something you consider as your duty/obligation comes in the way of upholding your Dharma, then probably it is not your duty at all. You are just in an illusion that is your Duty. This is where we require divine grace to differentiate real duty or Dharma from illusion or Maya. Thanks and regards, Padma.
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Suggestion by Koti SreeKrishna
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Mail from Krishna rao |
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Mr Raj Bhutani has requested the clubbing of some verses on a same day |
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To question posed by Mr. Raghupathi Boorla : Who is right? Mr. Uday Aladangady answers 2.Thoughts on Gita by Swami Vivekananda (a translation a Bengali lectures given by Swami Vivekananda to The next is, Nishkama Karma or work without desire or attachment. People nowadays understand what is meant
by this in various ways. Some say, what is implied by being unattached is to become purposeless. If that
were its real meaning, then brutes and the walls would be the best exponents of the performance of Nishkama
Karma. The true Nishkama Karmi (performer of work without desire) is neither to be like a brute, nor to
be inert, nor heartless. He is not Tamasika but of pure Sattva. His heart is so full
of love and sympathy, that he can embrace the whole world with his love. The world at large cannot generally comprehend his |
| To question posted by Raghupati Boorla : Who is
right? Chelakara venkatraman’s Answer: Dear poser of the question, please also read up Uddhava gita, the last message of Lord Krishna to his closest friend UDDHAVA before he departed this world.This gita is more mature, since Lord Krishna had aged and the listener was more mature person than ARJUNA
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In response to comments posted by Padma Priya on Chapter 1 Verse 3 Kauravas not wanting to share the kingdom is not exceptional. It was the norm for kings in those days
not only to hang on to what they had but also to expand by invading others. What was wrong of them was
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Padma Priya I read the introduction you gave for Gita along with verse 3, I want to put forth a few points, which I think in some way contradict your introduction. I appreciate if some body can throw more light on this matter, and humbly request everyone to correct me if something I say is wrong. In the first sentence you are saying that Gita is for the advancement of knowledge, science and technology, application of intelligence etc…but I thought the main aim of Gia was to help one realize the divinity with in oneself. I thought it helps you to answer the basic question of “Who am I” and “how can I liberate myself from this vicious cycle of Sansara”. Science and technology have nothing to do with liberation. In the second Para you are saying that, “The family way social life to be in conformity with cultural, traditional and religious values. I would like to know to which culture, tradition or religion you are referring. I consider Gita to be Universal, when I say that it is not just for a person with certain cultural, religious or traditional background, it is to be applicable to each and every human being no matter what his or her culture, tradition or religion is. and why do you expect every one to confirm to one religion, tradition or culture. Hinduism is not at all about conformity to certain strict rules, its about imbibing the good from every source possible, that means it can be different religion, culture or tradition. In the third Para you are saying that Mahabharatha is an example of parents failing to bring up their children in the right way with the right values for harmonious social life. I agree with you that parents do play an important in moulding their children, but saying that Mahabharatha is due to Dhrtarastra and Ghandari not bringing up their children properly, then I think you need to think again about it. It was Duryodhana’s intense desire to become a king and his attachment to the throne and his jealousy towards Pandavas which ignited the sparks of the war. Dhrtarastra definitely was greatly attached to Duryodhana, and wanted to see him as a king, His great vyamoha for his son, made him blind even mentally where he ceased to think about the adharma his son was to comit. This does not make Dhrtarastra a bad father. Neither Gandhari, who was a pious lady and also knew the divine nature of Krishna , was a bad mother. It is only their extreme vyamoha for their son , which made them not to resist Dhuryodahana. We have a very good example in Prahalada, whose father King Hiranyakaspya was teaching him to be against Lord Vishnu, but Prahalad turned out to be one of the greatest devotees of Vishnu. It is usually seen that, every father wants his son to achieve what he missed out in life, we notice this even today in our society. Dhrtarastra was a classic example of such a father, which does not make him a bad father. Bhagavat gita teaches that you bear the fruit of what you do. It is a cause and effect situation. Every one is responsible for their own self. You cannot blame others for what you are today., it is merely an effect of what you did yesterday. That is what Shri Krishna teaches in Gita. It is a common nature we see in people, where they hold every one around them responsible for their failure, it can be their parents, friends, colleagues, but they tend to forget that their failure is due to their own making. In the same Para you say that the Kauravas were not brought up in a proper way. As mythology goes, we all know that after the death of pandu, both Kauravas and Pandavas were brought up in the same royal household. That means they were brought up in similar conditions and learned all their education from the same gurus. If you say that Kaurava upbringing was bad, them it should be the case with Pandavas also. They were both under the guidance of Bhisma. You also say that all kauravas were wicked by nature…I completely disagree with this point. I would like to give the example of Vikarna. He knew his brother was doing adharma and also opposed him vehemently during the course of Draupadi vastraapaharan. He was not wicked at all, infact he was a man who could be emulated and looked upon as an ideal man. He is comparable to vibhishana in Ramayana, the only difference being that he thought it was his duty to support his brother and he did it as a duty, not because he was wicked or had anything against pandavas. In the same para you say that Strong Desire to achieve the desired goal are the basics of self motivation. I thought Gita teaches us to reach a desire less state. A state where you are not attached to either the good or bad, a stage where you donot have any desire what so ever. It only teaches us to do the necessary work and not to be attached to the result. Another thing I think is lord Krishna was not self motivated to give the teaching of gita. He delivered the teachings only because Arjuna was unwilling to do his duty and had become weak in his thought and did not have the discretion to decide what was right or wrong. As the title of the chapter says, it was the despondency of arjuna which motivated Krishna to deliver the teachings of Bhagavd Gita. Definitely Arjuna was an instrument in divine cause, because of which the whole mankind received the divine message. Another thing you mention is that that the food and surroundings to be one which promote rajas guna, but I was thought satvik nature was what emphasized in Gita, to be the one which takes you nearer to god and self realization. Thanks and warm regards, Padma Priya
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| This is a question posted by Raghupati
Boorla.
Who is right? Raghupati Boorla
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