Bhagavad Gita or The Divine Song - Essay Example

Bhagavad Gita Order No. 357341 January ‘10 Bhagavad Gita Bhagavad Gita means the “The Divine Song" or "The Song of God". It is about the wisdom and teachings that Lord Krishna imparted to his disciple Arjuna who was a legendary warrior. It has in it 700 Sanskrit verses and is a part of the Mahabharata, one of the principal classical epics of Hindu literature. However, the Gita can be considered as a holy book by itself. It has in it all the different lines of thoughts that are present in Hinduism. In it one can find the basic principles and fundamentals of Hinduism such as the law of karma, dharma, devotion, yogic principles, meditation and the cyclic concept of time. A majority of the sacred texts or scriptures have been composed in the Sanskrit language and are commonly classified into two classes, Sruti and Smriti. Sruti means that which has been heard. Vedas which are the earliest record of the Hindu scriptures belong to this class. Hindu texts other than the Shrutis are collectively called the Smritis which means "memory". The most notable among the Smritis are the epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Bhagavad Gita being a part of the Mahabharata can be considered as belonging to the Smriti class. On the other hand many consider Gita as a Sruti because its contents are quite ancient and have been taken from the Upanishads. In fact the Bhagavad Gita is also known as the Gitopanishad. Incidentally, in Ch. 4 of the Gita there is a mention about the knowledge in the Gita being very ancient and traditionally being transmitted orally, implying that Gita is a Sruti. The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most sacred scriptures and for Hindus it is an authoritative work on the fundamental philosophy of Hinduism. Scriptures can be defined as texts that are considered sacred by religions and are of central importance to religions. Many religions believe that scriptures are texts that have been inspired by the divine. Bhagavad Gita is a scripture if you consider these parameters. It is sacred to the Hindus; it is an inspirational dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. It is central to Hindu philosophy. The Gita has two main topics: yoga-sastra and brahma-vidya. Together they constitute a body of knowledge that has proved to be very important for every individual. Also scriptures always have a message which has a lasting, universal value. The Gita does have this kind of message. The message being that every human individual can overcome the present and progress from a state of sorrow, dejection and hopelessness to a state of perfect understanding and victory. This has been exemplified by the triumph of Arjuna over his sorrow and delusion. The text of the Gita consists of the conversation that takes place on the battlefield between Krishna and Arjuna before the start of the Kurukshetra war. In response to Arjuna’s confusion and the moral dilemma he faces regarding fighting his own cousins, Krishna makes Arjuna aware of his duties as a prince and as a warrior. He does this by explaining the various Yogic and Vedantic philosophies supporting them with analogies and examples. This in fact has led to the Gita being described as a concise guide to Hinduism. It has the essence of Hindu philosophy which is all about the spiritual obligations of man and his duties to be performed in life. All have allotted duties and sin arises not from the kind or nature of the work but from the way the work is performed. One has to perform duties without considering the result. One should not be attached to the fruits of action and must believe in the presence of the supreme spirit. This can be done through several paths and no path should be considered as exclusive or disdainful. Many scholars believe that the most succinct and powerful essence of the tremendously diverse Vedic thoughts is present in the Bhagavad Gita. It has the Bhakti, Yoga and Karma aspect of the Vedic religion. It can be considered as a heterogeneous text, consisting of the many facets and schools of Hindu philosophy which in turn has its roots in the Vedas and the yogic tradition. It brings together the four thought systems present in the four Vedas Rig, Sama, Yajur and the Atharva, into one powerful text. According to the law of karma (in the Vedic texts karma meant ritual action or labor) one’s ritual acts had consequences on the future as well as the present. All actions resulted in fruits good or bad and this determined the quality of life. Also good karma always resulted in a better rebirth. In the Bhagavad Gita, Karma Yoga is essentially about doing ones duties in life, without a desire or expecting a reward. "With the body, with the mind, with the intellect, even merely with the senses, the yogins perform action toward self-purification, having abandoned attachment. He, who is disciplined in yoga, having abandoned the fruit of action, attains steady peace..." (Gita, Chapter 5, Verses 11-12) Hinduism emphasizes bhakti, or devotion to and faith in God as a method to attain liberation. Gita also teaches us that the fruits of all acts must be given to God. In the end it is devotion, or bhakti, which puts us on the way to salvation. “Whatever you do—what you take, what you offer, what you give, what penances you perform—do as an offering to me, Arjuna! You will be freed from the bonds of action, from the fruit of fortune and misfortune; armed with the discipline of renunciation, your self liberated, you will join me. (Bhagavad Gita, 9.27–28). One more key concept of Hinduism closely connected to the concept of karma and rebirth, is dharma, a term that includes righteousness and duty. Carrying out one’s dharma meant not only being ethical but also performing duties that are proper to the class or caste one is born into and also the stage of life one is presently in. Performing ones duties depends on the birth and the stage of life. "Your own duty done imperfectly is better than another mans done well. It is better to die in ones own duty; another mans duty is perilous" (Bhagavad Gita, 3.35). Vedas had prescribed the institutions of varna which means one’s role in society and ashrama which means stages in life to help us attain moksha which means eternal happiness. Vedic society prescribed elaborate rituals, gurukulas and forest retreats while following these stages. The Gita too refers to all these stages and systems. But there is a difference here. There is a reference to varna and ashrama system and Vedic rituals. But here Krishna denounces the practice of following the Vedic rituals blindly without understanding the spirit that lay behind them. He explains how new practices can be developed keeping the spirit of the Vedic rituals as a central point. He talks about how the elaborate rituals can be made simple and carried out with the right attitude and how worships of Vedic deities like Indra, Agni, Varuna, can be replaced by the worship of a more advanced concept of God. Gita has the Vedic vision but to be followed with a modern approach. In fact it is a practical guide that can used to understand the spirit of the Vedic vision. The Bhagavad Gita apart from the central philosophy of Hinduism has introduced new philosophical concepts and religious practices. It has shown a new path towards liberation and talks of an asceticism which is independent of a person’s social status. The asceticism here does not require withdrawal from social life, nor does it mean strict austerities. This is probably one of the reasons for its huge success in the East and the West. The new Yoga described in the Gita emphasizes one’s attitude of mind while performing social duties, and can be considered as a combination of Karma, Bhakti and Buddhi Yoga. Karma Yoga in the Gita means performing ones duties in a spirit of renunciation and not being attracted by its fruits (Gita, Ch.5,1-2); Bhakti Yoga means an effort to sacrifice all our actions to Krishna (Gita, Ch.14,26); while Buddhi Yoga is acquiring a kind of wisdom that will help in understanding life. Thus in the Gita one can find a new element or concept of Hindu philosophy. According to the Gita spirituality or spiritual perfection is not attained by giving up actions or by asceticism but by giving a new meaning to action, which according to the Gita is detachment from the fruits of actions. Here Krishna says,” Be focused on action and not on the fruits of action. Do not become confused in attachment to the fruit of your actions and do not become confused in the desire for inaction (Gita, Ch. 2, 47). He also says, “Always act with detachment to the fruits of actions. The one who is acting without attachment attains God" (Gita, Ch. 3, 19). This is Karma Yoga. The Gita also gives a new meaning to sacrifice and Bhakti Yoga. “Consider all your acts as acts of devotion to me, whether eating, offering, giving away, performing austerities. Perform them as an offering to me. In this way you will be free from karma, you will be liberated and you will come to me”. (Gita, Ch. 9, 27) According to the Gita one should dedicate all acts to Krishna and that there is no need for material sacrifices or rituals. In short the Gita for the first time introduces the concept of four Yogas namely the Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Dhyana and emphasizes how important they are to realize higher truths in life. Other than these concepts, the Gita also addresses such topics as righteous kingship and appropriate use of power. Many of the concepts introduced can be studied by students of management. In conclusion it can be said that the Bhagavad Gita is one of the most important and compelling religious texts. It has religious depth, beauty of verse and most importantly it has in it the quintessential philosophy of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the four important Yogas. References 1. Bhagavad Gita Read More