I will be reading a translation by Shri Purohit Swami, downloadable here for free if you want to read along.
From the preface: "The Bhagavad Gita, the greatest devotional book of Hinduism, has long been recognized as one of the world’s spiritual classics and a guide to all on the path of Truth."
The backstory: rival cousins, the 5 Pandavas and the 100 Kauravas, are going to war over who will rule the kingdom. Our main character is one of the Pandavas, Arjuna, along with Krishna as his charioteer. The two armies assemble at Kurukshetra and face each other, prepared for battle. We begin as the rivals survey each other.
Conches are blown. Like weapons, the conches are named: Krishna has Panchajanya, Arjuna has Devadatta, and other renowned warriors have renowned conches. The noise shakes heaven and earth and the hearts of the Kauravas.
Arjuna asks Krishna to bring the chariot in between the forces, that he (Arjuna) may gaze upon the people of both sides. Arjuna gazes upon the people assembled: teachers, fathers and grandfathers and fathers-in-law and uncles and sons and grandsons and other relatives, and is stricken with sorrow. He asks why everyone must fight, avows that he has no interest in kingship, and would rather die than see these people killed. Further,
"The destruction of our kindred means the destruction of the traditions of our ancient
lineage, and when these are lost, irreligion will overrun our homes.
When irreligion spreads, the women of the house begin to stray; when they lose their
purity, adulteration of the stock follows.
Promiscuity ruins both the family and those who defile it; while the souls of our ancestors
droop, through lack of the funeral cakes and ablutions.
By the destruction of our lineage and the pollution of blood, ancient class traditions and
family purity alike perish."
lineage, and when these are lost, irreligion will overrun our homes.
When irreligion spreads, the women of the house begin to stray; when they lose their
purity, adulteration of the stock follows.
Promiscuity ruins both the family and those who defile it; while the souls of our ancestors
droop, through lack of the funeral cakes and ablutions.
By the destruction of our lineage and the pollution of blood, ancient class traditions and
family purity alike perish."
p.3
Yup. Because women's only value is breeding stock, they're not really people, while men can be as promiscuous as they like without consequences. Also, racial purity! How nice to see how far back terrible, dehumanizing ideas run, I suppose?
I was seriously considering quitting right here, but the Bhagavad Gita isn't very long (55 pages of pdf, less of text), and I can blog about it and spread the misery to anyone else who might be interested in what a classic piece of literature actually says. So I'll continue for now. We'll see if I can make it all the way through.
Anyway, Arjuna drops his bow and sits down in the chariot, overcome with grief. End chapter 1.
Chapter 2: Krishna's first response, called the philosophy of discrimination.
"Why grieve for those for whom no grief is due, and yet profess
wisdom? The wise grieve neither for the dead nor the living.
There was never a time when I was not, nor thou, nor these princes were not; there will
never be a time when we shall cease to be...
That which is not, shall never be; that which is, shall never cease to be. To the wise, these
truths are self-evident.
The Spirit, which pervades all that we see, is imperishable. Nothing can destroy the Spirit."
wisdom? The wise grieve neither for the dead nor the living.
There was never a time when I was not, nor thou, nor these princes were not; there will
never be a time when we shall cease to be...
That which is not, shall never be; that which is, shall never cease to be. To the wise, these
truths are self-evident.
The Spirit, which pervades all that we see, is imperishable. Nothing can destroy the Spirit."
p.5
Evidence, please? You make an extraordinary claim, now show us the evidence commensurate with that claim. Show us this Spirit. Show us that nothing we can think up can destroy it. And do it repeatedly, and see if others can duplicate your results. Until then, I'm going to grieve both for the dead and for the living when I feel grief.
No evidence, however, only "One hears of the Spirit with surprise, another thinks It marvellous, the third listens without comprehending. Thus, though many are told about It, scarcely is there one who knows It." (p.5) Ah, so it is both self-evident and a complete mystery. Of course! Don't actually think about it, just shut up and fight!
Onward to more patriarchal wussy-shaming (the parallel to slut-shaming). Krishna spends the next verses telling Arjuna it is his manly duty to fight and kill, and if he doesn't get to it he will be a traitor and a sinner and everyone will laugh at him (p.5).
Next we have a page on the philosophy of action, which is supposed to help Arjuna "break through the bondage of all action." There is some disparaging of "not true Hindu" Hindus, i.e., they aren't doing their Hinduism right. But just heed Shri Krishna, and do it right. Then we have this:
"As a man can drink water from any side of a full tank, so the skilled theologian can wrest
from any scripture that which will serve his purpose."(p.6)
from any scripture that which will serve his purpose."(p.6)
Yes. Yes, I agree. So, why should I believe you more than anyone else who claims to have the miracle snake-oil?
"But thou hast only the right to work, but none to the fruit thereof. Let not then the fruit of
thy action be thy motive; nor yet be thou enamored of inaction."
thy action be thy motive; nor yet be thou enamored of inaction."
If I'm told I'm not getting paid, I'd better want to do what I'm doing for it's own sake. Even then, I might need to get paid. The brutal realities of a cash economy and all that. How did the Pandavus support themselves during exile? Were they still on the royal stipend, or did they have to work for a living?
"Perform all thy actions with mind concentrated on the Divine, renouncing attachment and
looking upon success and failure with an equal eye. Spirituality implies equanimity.
Physical action is far inferior to an intellect concentrated on the Divine. Have recourse then
to Pure Intelligence. It is only the petty-minded who work for reward.
When a man attains to Pure Reason, he renounces in this world the results of good and
evil alike. Cling thou to Right Action. Spirituality is the real art of living.
The sages guided by Pure Intellect renounce the fruit of action; and, freed from the chains
of rebirth, they reach the highest bliss." (p.6)
I don't understand where Krishna is going with this. If action is inferior, why is not fighting a sin? Arjuna has a different, but excellent question: how does someone who has attained Spiritual bliss talk, live, and act?
Lord Shri Krishna replies:
"When a man has given up the desires of his heart and is satisfied
with the Self alone, be sure that he has reached the highest state.
The sage, whose mind is unruffled in suffering, whose desire is not roused by enjoyment,
who is without attachment, anger or fear – take him to be one who stands at that lofty
level."(p.7)
with the Self alone, be sure that he has reached the highest state.
The sage, whose mind is unruffled in suffering, whose desire is not roused by enjoyment,
who is without attachment, anger or fear – take him to be one who stands at that lofty
level."(p.7)
Very classic doctrine of non-attachment. If it sounds Buddhist, remember that many strains of Hinduism absorbed Buddha as the 9th avatar of Vishnu (Krishna is usually the 8th). The rest of the chapter elaborates on getting rid of desire by meditating on Krishna, and thus, when all desires are gone, one attains peace and eternal merging with the Eternal (eternal what? quantum fluctuations?):
"He attains Peace, into whom desires flow as rivers into the ocean, which though brimming
with water remains ever the same; not he whom desire carries away.
He attains Peace who, giving up desire, moves through the world without aspiration,
possessing nothing which he can call his own, and free from pride.
O Arjuna! This is the state of the Self, the Supreme Spirit, to which if a man once attain, it
shall never be taken from him. Even at the time of leaving the body, he will remain firmly
enthroned there, and will become one with the Eternal.”
with water remains ever the same; not he whom desire carries away.
He attains Peace who, giving up desire, moves through the world without aspiration,
possessing nothing which he can call his own, and free from pride.
O Arjuna! This is the state of the Self, the Supreme Spirit, to which if a man once attain, it
shall never be taken from him. Even at the time of leaving the body, he will remain firmly
enthroned there, and will become one with the Eternal.”
Next time: chapter 3, Karma-Yoga, the path of action.
No comments:
Post a Comment