Geeta Jayanti! The day carries an acutely personal significance for me. Aai studied in depth the Geeta Dharm Mandal course that analyses the treatise. She was among the toppers, too. It was on this particular day that she was ceremoniously awarded the certificate. I felt proud of her . As was usual with her, she never wasted time. Instead of sitting around 'chatting' cum gossiping, she studied in detail many religious treatises, and continued to enrich her life, age being no bar.
Yes, on the Mokshada Ekadashi of the month of Margashirsha in the waxing phase of the moon is celebrated the Geeta Jayanti. It is believed that the Bhagwad Geeta was 'narrated' by Lord Krishna at the Kurukshetra on this very day. Hence the moniker 'Geeta Jayanti'.
Why the commas encircling 'narrated'? Well, it is my earnest submission that the treatise is a dialogue. Krishna never edifies, nor sermonises. Instead, he 'facilitates' the spiritual awareness for/of Arjuna. Hence dissolve typical doubts such as how could so much time be spared at the war front. Even otherwise, reading the Geeta in an aware way takes roughly two hours. Possible as well as probable it is that the Lord thus sensitised his disciple cum best friend before the war actually began.
Come to think of it, every second of our very existence is a kind of war, at times with contexts, at moments with people we care for, but forever with our own selves. Every instant is an attempt to create some sanity out of the surrounding meaningless chaos. The Geeta philosophy is a mode that helps us shore up some sense out of this void of nothingness, of meaninglessness, of illusions.
You may choose any one of the principles the text (scholars have written zillions of words explicating it) abounds with, be it Dnyan Yog, Bhakti Yog or the much debated Karma Yog. By definition, the Bhagwad Geeta is democratic. It explicates various modes of (self-) knowledge, and leaves you to choose the one you like.
Why, Lord Krishna, after this entire exploration of the universe itself, the Vibhuti Yoga in Chapter 11 included, concludes with "yathechchasi tatha kuru." Translated even literally, it means "act as you wish to", that is to say, 'follow the path your head, your heart, your conscience, your soul, your 'self' wants you to.'
It is such upfront openness, an equality born out of equanimity, the right to choose one's path in an aware way that makes the Geeta truly democratic. Hence it never remains some religious mumbo-jumbo. It pulsates in our very being, a forever guide any time conflicts corrode the inner space!
Pratima@Ah, yes, since 1988, December 1 has been declared the Aids Awareness day, indicating a disease whose severity, once a huge scare, has absolutely diminished, what with the advances in the medical field, and given that terror called the all crippling corona!
Quote of the day: "Nobody ever outgrows the scriptures," says Charles Spurgeon. "The book widens and deepens with our years."
The word of the day: orthodox. Etymologically, the term is made of two units, orthos (signifying right, true, straight) and doxa (meaning opinion). The modern word comes from the Greek verb uniting these two roots to mean 'to have a right/correct opinion'. The negative implication of rigidity, of exclusion of other perspectives, of dismissal of alternative opinions is a much later acquisition!
No comments:
Post a Comment