Every religion of this world has its own culture, with many customs, traditions and refined qualities. The Hindu culture is a culture of love, respect, honouring others and humbling one's own ego so that the inner nature, which is naturally pure and modest, will shine forth. It is no surprise that they cherish The Bhagavad Gita as a sacred Hindu text. It is known as the song of God besides being one of the oldest religious texts in the world. Under the Hindu culture, the text is described as a concise guide to Hindu philosophy and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life. Like in Christianity and Islam, as in the bible and the Quran, it duly followed in the Hindu culture to dictate way of life and major processes that relate to Hinduism. This paper will try to highlight the importance of this text to Hinduism and the general culture and way of life of the Indian people (Johnson 90).
The Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is exceptional in its broad publication and widespread circulation. Along with the commentaries of former great saints as well as modern scholars, this classic appears in various languages, both in India and other countries. The commentaries of the great Vaisnava acaryas[1] such as Srimat Ramanuja, Srimat, and Sri Sridhara Swamipada deserve special mention, while among the proponents of jnana-marga, the scholastic path, the commentaries of Srimat Sankaracarya and Sri Madhusudana Saraswati are prominent. The commentaries of Sriyuta Bala Gangadhara Tilak and Sri Aurobindo favour the school of karma-yoga, or the path of action, and are also familiar to modern scholars. In addition, great philosophers of both Orient and Occident have passionately sung the glories of Sri Gita, being motivated by the ideals of its philosophy. But opportune persons of fine theistic intellect will experience the acintya-bhedabheda-siddhanta, axiom of inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference, illustriously promulgated by the authentic followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaudiya Acaryas Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana as eminently faithful to exclusive devotion to the Supreme Lord. The educated and faithful devotees are also motivated within the core of their hearts by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Bengali commentary on Sri Gita, realizing it to be an all-harmonious fortune of divine love for Lord Sri Krsna (Krsna-prema), which is the fifth and eventual goal of life, transcendental to religiosity, economy, sense enjoyment, and emancipation (Johnson 100).
In the overture to the current edition the reverential divine master, Sri Gurupadapadma Om Visnupada Paramahaμsa Parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj has brilliantly disclosed to the readers the profound, internal devotional comprehension in his version. Among the abundant editions of Sri Gita currently available, few can be said to devotedly cultivate pure devotion in agreement with the ideal conclusions of parampara, or bona fide descending disciplic progression. Consequently, the current endeavour has been warranted, considering us as blessed if the thoughtful readers take the fundamental and all-favourable spirit of this sincere effort to heart.
Bowing to the consecrated feet of Sri Guru, Sri Gauranga, and Sri Radha Govindasundara, all accompanied by Their acquaintances, people sing the enormous glory of the concealed treasure of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. The Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is well-known by the educated. Consequently, some rationalization of the formula adopted by this version's editor must originally be given. The editor belongs to the school of thought sliding in disciplic line from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore it is imperative to differentiate that the current edition is based on the commentaries on Sri Gita as given by the unsurpassed, applauded Sri Gaudiya Vaisnava Acaryas, Sri Visvanatha, Sri Baladeva, and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. By the apparent grace of the reverential religious master, Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, and from indications given by the aforesaid great untainted devotees, some new light has been shed herein, recounting deeper meanings all through the text. The devotional student will understand this distinction particularly in realizing the claim of the four verses (10.8-11) which were explained by Sri Visvanathapada to be the four crucial verses of the book.
Normally, Sri Gita is identified as an outstanding study of the science of religion. The words of Sri Gita are simple and saccharine; its disposition is serious, widespread, and basic. The thoughts are brief, separate, and neutral and its logic is sound and accepted. The introduction, epilogue, description, review, examination, creation, and art of arrangement of Sri Gita are extraordinary and amiable to the extreme (Swarupananda 44). Sri Gita is activation for the indolent, audacity for the coward, optimism for the hopeless and new life for the dying. It unites and upholds all ranks, whether revolutionist, optimist, occultist, liberationist, or theist.
From the nonbeliever of repellently rudimentary apparition to the most eminent saint, the indispensable outsets of all classes of philosophers are dealt with in obvious and vigorous logic. The successful employee, the educated, and the yoga consultant and the devotee of the Lord will find in this a widespread and enlightening elucidation on the material of their particular philosophies, and thus the book is extremely respected by all. The indispensable wisdom of the Vedas and Upanishads of the Aryans is openly clarified, and upon a little closer inspection, the essence of different non-Aryan doctrines may also be noticed in the text. Within the claim of Sri Gita we find that the cleansing of consciousness through wisdom arises from significantly apathetic performance of scripturally instructed duties, resultant to self-knowledge, complete existential knowledge, or divine comprehension. Upon full development, this clean, immaculate insight culminates in the expedition for loving service in unadulterated cognition, in the divine elated dominion.
In the scrutiny of sambandha-jnana, knowledge of divine relationship, Sri Gita has disclosed that the nature of the most unique truth is an inspirational all-cognisant character. In the investigation of prayojana, the supreme objective, inner motivation of pure love in hunt of the highest total realism has been mentioned as the realization. And in the examination of abhidheya, the means of attaining the required objective, the first stage has been divulged as donating all one's deeds to the Supreme Lord, pursued by the development of internal self-knowledge, which occurs according to one's progressive recognition of the Lord. Finally, by renouncing all other accomplishments, one capitulates completely unto the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna (Winternitz 24).In short, by taking protection of pure faith; one is positioned in one's ideal divine uniqueness and engages in celestial loving service to the Lord, which is the definitive goal of all devotional traditions.
Sri Gita has undoubtedly differentiated and defined the characteristics of the non-committal courses based on deed, karma, and knowledge, jnana, and their equivalent attainable objectives of sense satisfaction, Kama, and deliverance, moksa. consequently, the gifted can note that by the declaration, yo yac chraddhah sa eva sah, One is identified by his particular faith, Sri Gita has drawn an purpose in comparison of diverse paths and their aims, thus enchanting and divulging those who craft perplexity by following the fabrication that the many trails and objectives are all one.
Renunciation, Tyaga, has been entirely denounced, and its vainness has been categorically emphasized (Swarupananda 16). This declaration demonstrates the decisive, inherent gift of Sri Gita. Karma-yoga, contribution of one's actions to the Supreme Lord without unsophisticated interest, is fancied above karma-Tyaga, repudiation of action and in the end, full self submission to the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, with every deed bestowed by divine motivation in his loving service is the eventual and highest philosophy of Sri Gita.
One may find it to be the king of all scriptures as the bestowed of the highest commitment. In its full-fledged nature, this dedication is the highest love divine, love for the all-attractive superlative character Sri Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja, the impressive, vivacious, and booming clarion christening of Sri Gita has declared the glories of life's super brilliant purpose. This is the dependable and unanimous finale of the pure parampara, or descending spiritual sequence, as confirmed by the authentic disciples of the lotus footsteps of Sri Caitanyacandra, the original Supreme Lord, who descends to set free the descended spirits of Kali-yuga, in this iron age of quarrel and strife.
To many Indians, the Bhagavad Gita is A remarkable event; an odyssey which commences with the realities of life and conquers the ultimate pinnacles of ideals. This is so because it provides a divine elixir that transforms one from the jiva state to the brahmic state. This Spiritual contemplation blends theology and life providing a stream of thought that flows from individual peace to universal peace. In short it is a reservoir of energy that turns sorrow into delight. Before we mull over on the Gita, we must first consider the Mahabharat because the Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharat. The Mahabharat is the literary history of great India, Bharat. It is a textual poem of true events. It is an absolute volume, elucidating all features of life. For this very reason this heavenly volume, which is an encyclopaedia of India’s sanãtan edifying history, has accomplished great respect in world literature. It is assumed in immense regard as the greatest poem on earth.
In fact, the Bhagavad Gita has engrossed its readers from all quarters. It has directed the lost ones on the way of life, and has readdressed people’s gaze, plunging them in retrospection. It has also made those fragile in faith, courageous, and has motivated faithless academics towards devotion. In addition, it has established self-control in one who coddles, and has described the significance of vairãgya, disinterest from to worldly pleasures, to one who has become unreserved under the guard of bhakti. Due to its reverence Bhagavad Gita has been given the grade of an Upanishad. Because the Upanishads describe, defend and cultivate the ultimate principles and lead one to a true life, (Garaudy 148).The undying standards of the Upanishads are entirely reflected in the Gita. From these reasons, the text really affects and portrays the culture of Hinduism and the ways of life in which they lead. As it is evident, Many Indians are very cultural and religious thus owing to texts and books regarding their history.
Besides its religious outfit, The Gita relays on issues regarding laziness. It has assisted people to shake off indolence, hammering in them the interest to undertaking, and it has revitalized the conquered. This evidence is seen on the hard work associated with Indians all over the world. I am yet to see a lazy Indian.
To conclude, what has the Bhagavad Gita not done? How has this all been made possible? The respond can be found in a shlok in the Gita ‘Yasmãd dharmamayee Geetã sarvagnãnaprayojikã, sarvashãstramayee Geetã tasmãd Geetã vishishyate., (Bhagavad-Gita) The Gita proliferates with dharma, is the motivator of all information and includes all the shastras. This is why the Gita has accomplished a unique status.
Work Cited
Bhagavad-Gita." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 29 Jan. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/63871/Bhagavadgita>.
Garaudy, Roger, the Bhagavad-Gita is a rich message, directed toward the human being, 1977
Johnson, W. J. The Bhagavad Gita Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994. 99-102
Prabhupada, B S Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita. Trans. Swarupananda, S., et al. Forgotten books 2008. Print.
Winternitz, Maurice. History of Indian Literature. New Delhi: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation. (2nd Ed), 1972
[1] Indian gurus
