Hi,
I really want to do a term paper for my World Lit class on this piece of Literature. I am having a hard time narrowing a topic for a 6 page research paper. I would really appreciate it if you guys would help give me some ideas! Thank you
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Hi,
I really want to do a term paper for my World Lit class on this piece of Literature. I am having a hard time narrowing a topic for a 6 page research paper. I would really appreciate it if you guys would help give me some ideas! Thank you
Well, have you studied it before, and in what setting?
This is my first time with Workd lit in any form. I was considering the comparison of wisdom to modern day wisdom.
I don't understand the term Workd lit.
I've been studying Bhagavad-Gita for two or three years now, and I'd be happy to discuss with you about it.
Hi NikolaiI,
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. The term was supposed to be World Literature and this is all new to me. I find it to be an exciting journey to embark on even if it is for a course. I would like to ask you some of your own insights as I was reading som of your later posts.
I understand that Ghandi used the Gita to identify with his own philosophy. I would like to understand how Gandhi, who esckewed violence, made specific use of the Gita. Especially if the Gita refrains from all forms of violence.
Next: How does the Gita justify war, human rights, universal moral laws, amd does national honor justify violence? Thank you so much for your thoughts.
Well, Gandhi was a Vaishnava. Vaishnava means devotee of Vishnu, or Krishna.
Bhagavad-Gita teaches the science of self-realization, which is a practical system of purifying and elevating the consciousness. It's more than just philosophy - Gandhi went to prayer meetings almost every day. In fact he was on his way to a prayer meeting when he was killed. Walking, he was accosted and then shot three times in the chest. Right before he died, he cried, "He Rama!" - "He" is similar or equivalent to the English "hey," and Rama is a name of God. Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita that one who remembers God without deviation at the time of death attains Him.
Before I read your post I was wanting to post the following verses from the Gita, which are pretty good in understanding part of its philosophy.
Now in answer to your questions:Quote:
Originally Posted by BG 6.20-23
1) War - unjustified generally. Why? Because of the consciousness of those engaged. The different countries are under so many illusions, and they are fighting simply to gain money, power, territory, etc. Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord, and if we do not use everything for Krishna, then we are thieves.
"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform — do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me."
- Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 9, Text 27
2) Human rights -
Krishna explains the purpose of life, which is self-realization. There are different processes, or yoga systems, for self-realization, the highest of which is devotion to Krishna, or bhakti-yoga. The others are Jnana yoga, the pursuit of knowledge, or karma-yoga, the path of work.
As far as human rights goes, the process seems to be, focus on one's own activities - and in that regard, the morality is of the highest standard. We are supposed to accept only whatever is necessary for our maintenance, and not try to accumulate anything more.
The final conclusion of Bhagavad-Gita, the highest goal and purpose of human life, is summarized in a famous verse, Ch. 18, Text 65:
Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
And then, the highest service for others is as follows:
BG 18.68: For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.
BG 18.69: There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.
Krishna says that the highest goal is devotion and love of God, and that there is no one more dear to Him than one who preaches this bhakti-yoga.
3) universal moral laws -
I am running out of time actually; there is a great wealth of moral teaching as well as spiritual teaching in the Bhagavad-Gita, but I am afraid I can't write more of them out for you.
4) national honor and violence -
National honor; I assume you may be referring to the following verses,
BG 2.34: People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
BG 2.35: The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will consider you insignificant.
BG 2.36: Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you?
Which are used when Krishna is giving reasons for Arjuna not to quit the battlefield.
Well - no, national honor doesn't justify it. The real reason Arjuna was instructed to fight, and not to abdicate his position (which was that of a ksatriya, or warrior) was that the other side in the battle were criminal. If they came into power, religion would be lost, morality would be lost, and there would be so much suffering. The reason you can't simplify it to saying national honor justifies war is because there's not much national honor these days. No nation is following dharma - there are slaugterhouses maintined by the governments of every nation. Every living being within the nation deserves protection - not that humans deserve protection while animals should be killed.
So what should we do? We should follow the process ourselves, and become liberated enlightened, and then help others in the same way. We can get into that more perhaps.
About Gita - it's good to buy a copy, only there are so many editions and translations which are not written by devotees. These are almost useless. They are useless because Krishna says quite specifically that He is God and He explains all of His energies, and the laws of karma and the ways to get free from repeated birth and death. But if He is not God, then all of it is meaningless - He wouldn't know. So a translation of the Gita which places emphasis on impersonalism or philosophy higher than devotion and personal reciprocation with God is not of much value.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain these things to me.
You're welcome.
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed." [Śvetashvatara Upanishad 6.23]
Who is that translated by?Quote:
Originally Posted by Radha Krsna
Generally when people say Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, they refer to Prabhupada's translation.
Anyway, Prabhupada's translation can be found here: http://www.asitis.com/
And some people are said to have found absolute truth in their hearts? To my understanding we only can learn so much of it. Perhaps trusting that it is there is what these people (like Buddah) have found. I wonder what you can do with that degree (trust of truth). Does one become a dashing centerfigure that desires to free society or does he recline and keep his perfect enlightenment (happiness) to himself?Quote:
Originally Posted by NikolaiI
I too have a book translated by Prabhupad with a wonderful explanation as he is deemed a scholar of ssanskrit and has read the Gita ardently, and his translation is very authentic as he was not only a scholar of Sanskrit but also a devotee himself. He had made the book greatly comprehendible to us, or else the book at times hard to comprehendQuote:
Originally Posted by NikolaiI