The journey towards Satchitananda...

The Bhagavad Gita (25th Anniversary Edition, 2009)
Translated by: Winthrop Sargeant

Bhagavad Gita, a part of the Indian epic Mahabharata, has been translated many times over the years. Every translation asserts that it gives the most accurate account of the text, which was written in Sanskrit. It was initially told in oral traditions only to be written in the 2nd century CE. Translations are no easy feat in any language, what more an ancient language. Take, for example, the word dharma. It can be translated as duty, law, righteousness, virtue, and honour depending on the context. For that same reason, only the Holy Quran in the Arabic script is acceptable as the authentic one.

Most people spent a lifetime trying to understand what is written in the Gita. It is said to give, in a narrative way, the meaning of life. It comprises stories of interwoven nature. Each subplot carries its own weight and is able to impart wisdom and answer moral dilemmas. 

The chapter on the setting of the Bhagavad Gita gives an excellent overview of the mythological beginning of time, the primordial darkness to the creation of things all through to Manu, the ancient Kings / Gods and finally to Hastinapura, Pandavas and Kaurava. This chapter also gives the backstory to the genesis of the Kurushetra War. It clears many of the uncertainties to the ignoramus new readers of the Gita; like how Karna, who is fighting on the Kaurava's side has the same mother as the Pandavas and the bond that links many characters in Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The eternal all-pervading consciousness is eternal, indestructible and the ultimate reality. We see this in man's extraordinary creativity, courage, endurance and boundless compassion. Why, we also see this in animals' acts of kindness.

There must surely be many ways to achieve spiritual realisation. People with different temperaments attain this in their own separate paths - by being active, reflective, affective and experimentative (karma, jnana, bhakti and raja yogas respectively). These paths unite the practitioner with Sat-Chit-Ananda (Truth, Consciousness and Bliss), the higher Intellect of the Universe, the single Unity.

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Truth, as we see it!

My Gita (2015)

Devdutt Pattanaik

The author drew a lot of flak from the so-called Sanskrit scholars and Hindutva protectorates for his inaccuracies in its translation, factual 'errors' and understanding of the scriptures. The purist, the defenders of the Hindu inscriptions assert that he is not a qualified person to give his interpretation of the revered holy book. Bhagavad Gita, the poem of the God, is sacred scripture. They assert that one has to be a Brahmin or ordained to do the mammoth task of interpreting the Gita. In short, not every Tom, Dick and Harry can tell his views. I thought it reeked a lot like many of the fundamentalists and religious zealots amongst us who insist that there is one way to the Truth and it is their way. There is no compromise in religion.
Pandits (not pundits) like Rajiv Malhotra and Nityanand Misra also take offence to classifying Bhagadvita as a myth. Most intellectuals today accept happenings in Gita as historical occurrences, not a story.

That is the exact thing the writer is to dispel. The Gita is a discourse that happened between a charioteer who happened to be Krishna himself and a warrior of the Pandava clan, Arjuna, who had cold feet on the eve of a decisive battle. This conversation was apparently telepathically intercepted by the enemy medium, Sanjaya, who informed the blind Kaurava King, Dhritarashtra. So what is written in the Gita is essentially the interpretation of Sanjaya as he told the King. What Krishna meant to say may not seem to have been what Arjuna understood. What Sanjaya inferred from his tapping from his understanding may be hampered by the jargons. What Dhritarashtra, the father of his sons who were to go war, would like to hear would have been about the safety of his sons. The take-home message is that a narration may appear different to different individuals. It is all one's viewpoint. Hence, Pattanaik feels justified to give his take on the text. No one has exclusive rights to God's poems. 

Our way of thinking is thematic. Over the years, over generations, our priorities vary. For this reason, our perception of the Truth, the solution to problems in life and our outlook on life changes with time. There is no single right or wrong answer to any question. There are no right or wrong actions. Everything is perspective. Arjuna's slaying of his cousins, uncles and nephews may appear unjust, but it may be a necessary evil to the continuity of the kingdom. On the other hand, the whole war is just a familial dispute over worldly things like property and pride. Unfortunately, sometimes painful events have to happen. It is the order of Nature.

Although the answers to all these dilemmas are not given on a platter, it provides us with a platform to discuss, argue and justify our moves. The scriptures are not dogmatic on what is the correct action but give different perspectives on things - all roads lead to Rome or nine ways to skin a cat.

The message put forward in the Gita is one for the householder, one who does not lead a hermetic life but one who embraces relationships within a family unit. At the time of writing, the flavour of the time was incorporating family life in seeking the Truth. The times were changing from one of a recluse and celibate, as advocated by Buddhists' scholars to one inclusive of conjugal relationships and the by-products. From one of wanting to reach eternal bliss (moksha), the society must have morphed to one that emphasises good governance and order (?dharma). War is not for vengeance or ambitions but is about equilibrium.

With a social order, the law will help the helpless and provide justice; without it, the law is just a tool for control, oppression and sabotage.

The author goes on to talk about the importance of exchange in the Hindu rituals. The rituals done here are a mean of exchange. The practitioner of act offers his offerings to Nature and receives what is given back; not with the intention to demand.  

In my opinion, our obsessive journey to seek the Truth will surely meet a dead-end. It is what we make of it. It may come in slices. We need to use our behaviours, emotions and intellect to find a solution.

© chandrugidwani

The symbolism of life. The chariot, the reins, the horses, 

the charioteer, the wheels etc.

 https://asok22.wixsite.com/real-lesson 

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The Book of Books!

Decoding the Gita, India’s book of answers 

Roopa Pai | TEDxNMIMSBangalore.

It is all point of view!

The Hindus, An Alternative History
Author: Wendy Doniger

Everything that happens in life is seen from a particular perspective. One can say that a cup is half full or half empty, both indicating the same thing. A tiny structure that we see from the corner of our eye over the horizon is actually a mammoth ocean liner that dwarfs everything adjacent to it. It is all in its interpretation. It also depends on our understanding fueled by our past experiences and know how. We see what we want to see. We sometimes are blind to the elephant in the room. And the senses do not appreciate what the mind does not know!

From the outset, the author, a holder of doctorates in Sanskrit and India studies, qualifies her work as an alternative interpretation of the history of Hinduism in India.

Just like the picture of the markings on the moon which is depicted below, the impression on the moon can be interpreted as a man (Cain the wanderer and murderer), rabbit or duck, depending on his background, exposure and culture.

The author explores alternative narratives from the disadvantaged groups of the land, the non-Brahmins, the tribes, the second-class citizens like women and the outcasts of society. The Brahmins and the rulings clans were the privileged groups who had the access to knowledge and wrote the doctrines on how things should run in kingdoms. In essence, they decided what law is and what is divinity.

The kings and members of the warrior castes must have felt remorseful with all killings and the sufferings by people at their hands. The Brahmins, with their vast know-how on how to appease the Divine Forces, must have had pacified their bosses that recourse can be made via prayers which only the Brahmin can handle. In return, they received remunerations in the form of (holy) cows. Cows were revered commodities, and the priests were paid in cows. The success of a Brahmin is measured by the number of cows that he owned. They put divinity on it, prohibiting culling and consumption of its flesh.

Sacrifice, of the animal kind, is as old as politics. And politics is known as the second oldest profession in the world. Horse sacrifice is mentioned in the Rig Veda as the highest form of sacrifice that Man can perform for the Gods. The only caveat is that it can only be done by the King, and only the Brahmins have the knowledge this ritual. One can understand where this liaison is leading. The horse must be a white one, is let loose to roam freely for a year, under the watchful eyes of the royal henchmen. No one (peasants/ landowners) is allowed to disturb the movement of this 'sacrificial lamb' or bear the prospect of having his land possessed by the King's men. One can see where this ritual is going. It appears like a legitimate way to spread the Ruler's influence.

Little juicy snippets like these which easily excite troublemakers must have incurred the wrath the Hindutva movements which have been undergoing a renaissance of late. Hence, this book was withdrawn from the shelf after many legal wrangles. It only created a ready market and demand for it (Streisand effect). Hail internet marketing!

From the Sanskrit scriptures and oral traditions, the author managed to pen down, in a 770+ page paperback, the events that were supposed to have happened in a land blessed with rivers that started a civilisation way back about 4500 years ago all through the Invasion of foreign powers and dissemination of different faiths.

For a person who had been brought in the Hindu tradition who is receptive to logical explanations to the rituals, I found this book utterly enlightening. Some quarters who claim to be guardians of the religion look at the practice from a totally Brahmanic Northern Indian perspective. Lest one forgets that many non-Brahmins have inputs to enrich it. The Puranic movements and even the members of the lower rung of the society, through their the devotion did the same.

Many of the Hindu practices evolved over time in tandem with the change of times. In keeping with the growing influences of Jaina and Buddhists movement which provided an alternative to the Hindu's dogmatic social closeting, its practices were altered as a reactionary gesture.

An interesting thing that crops so often is the escape clause in the pre-destined journey of life. The soul is said to be paying back for the sins committed in previous births, and it cannot be altered. At the same time, the scriptures promise of certain prayers and ritual sacrifices (of milk and grain) that can offset this destiny!

Offshoots from the main way of life sprung in India over time. People who were unhappy with certain practices and explanations ventured to other belief systems. There was a time when kshatriyas started doing what the Brahmins were doing. Siddharta Gautama and Mahavir, both of fighters' stock, renounced their power to find the real meaning of life. Their path gained popularity, authority and wealth for some time till they began too big for their own shoes. Hinduism started modifying their way of doing things to draw back deserters. Even within Hinduism, Shaivaites and Vaishvanites were engaged in a popularity contest. A little later, invaders from the North brought in Islam to join in the foray to enjoy a piece of the action. These quests did, however, has its plus points. They each contributed in their own ways in the fields of literature, architecture, engineering, economy, knowledge, philosophy and much more.

The British Raj era bared open the long lost mysteries of this ancient civilisation. Not only they squandered this sub-continent of its gems and wealth, there destroyed an unusual symbiotic relationship that its people had shared over generations. On the other hand, they brought in industrialisation (?for self-interest) and re-discover lost ancient knowledge. The British archaeologists painstakingly found the lost kingdom of Shakya, the birthplace of Buddha and many Buddhist scripts.

Fast forward into the twenty-first century, the unique relationship that the ancient dwellers of Indus shared with his hostile environment and all the puzzling occurrences around him have changed course. Priorities have changed. From a feudalistic society where there were humans, sub-humans and barbarians existed, we have or try to put up an image of being an egalitarian society. Economic prowess is given precedence over matters like karma and after-life. Their ideology, have, on the other hand, fascinated people outside the subcontinent.

This book is an exhaustive overall of everything Indian. It is written in a very tongue-in-the-cheek way which picked a raw nerve with the ultra Hindutva. They feel that the sanctity of the religion held in high esteem for centuries is ridiculed. What they fail to understand is that Hinduism had never been known to be inclusive or to be over sensitive to barking dogs. Like in the stance of a deeply meditating Shiva, believers used to be turning a blind eye to temptations and distractions whilst trying to explore their own third eye. What gave? In the way of Jesus, Gandhi used to say, "Forgive them for they know not what they do!"

[P.S. It is such a compact book with so much knowledge. I would be doing a great disservice by trying to summarise it. Pick up a book, form your own opinion. You will never look at organised religion the same way again, ever!]