#288 The Bhagavad Gita – 9 Objections and Reasons to Learn it
- Posted by SwaminiB
- Categories Gita, Podcast transcripts, Vedanta
- Date 23 July 2024
- Comments 0 comment
Albert Einstein, a physicist and great thinker said about the Gita –
When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow.
Is n’t it ironic that while we look to scientists to figure out life, they look to scriptures such as Gita to help them?
In this episode, we will look at nine objections to learning the Gita and responses to these objections.
Objection 1 : The Gita is too ancient and irrelevant to modern life.
Response: While the Gita is indeed ancient, its teachings on human nature, Dharma and freedom from sorrow are timeless.
Despite our modern advancements, we are still isolated and lonely and battle with insecurity.
‘I am not good enough’ and ‘I do not have enough’ remain the neutral backdrop to the painting of the foreground of life situations.
Thus, many modern challenges, such as stress, existential crises, and ethical dilemmas, are addressed in the Gita, making it highly relevant today.
Aldous Huxley, an English writer, said that it was one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence, its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of humanity.
Objection 2 : I don’t have time to study an entire scripture.
Response: In our already busy lives, there will always be emergencies, festivals, travel and illnesses. Just like we have factored this in and are still able to go to work, raise a family and go on vacation too, reveals that we can pack in an extra one hour a week easily if spiritual growth is a priority.
The problem is not one of time but of life priorities.
Adi Shankaracharya in his beautiful composition Bhaja Govindam, points to the preoccupations of different stages of life –
बालस्तावद क्रीडासक्तः तरुणावत् तरुणीसक्तः
वृद्धस्तावत चिन्तासक्तः परमे ब्रह्मणि कोपि न सक्तः
A boy is attached to play; a youth is attached to a young woman; an old man is drowned in worries. Alas! No one is interested in Brahman, the ultimate reality.
Based on the principle of compounding, we just need to dedicate 1-2 hours a week to show up in the Gita class, week after week, month after month.
We do not study the scriptures as divorced from life, as we do a lot of subjects in school that are irrelevant. We study our lives in the light of the scriptures.
Many student disciples find that dedicating just a couple of hours a week to reflect and apply the Gita’s teachings is transformative.
Objection 3: If I learn the Gita, I will lose my competitive edge and become passive.
Response: On the contrary! Bhagavad Gita was born on a battlefield where two competing armies were fighting for what was right – Dharma.
After the teachings of Bhagavan Krishna, Arjuna did not run away into a cave but fought by leading his army and won the battle of all battles. Our occasional confrontations in the boardroom or in the family situation are nothing compared to the life-and-death situation faced by Arjuna.
What you call competitive edge might just be desperation and insecurity.
Leading athletes of the world, be it Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps train to be calm and centred as a necessary part of their training to compete.
Gita helps you to be composed, dynamic and proactive. Rather than becoming passive, Gita ‘s teachings on the law of karma and Bhagavan, can actually make you dynamic, enhance performance and reduce stress.
Objection 4: Saving Sanatana Dharma is more urgent than learning the Gita and Vedanta.
Response: The Gita speaks of the interconnectedness between the person, the world and God and their underlying reality. The vision of oneness and a life of connectedness with all, is at the core of Sanatana Dharma helping people live with joy.
If you don’t know the core of Dharma or the Gita, what will you protect?
Why will you protect Sanatana Dharma if it has not added value to your life?
Where will you draw the strength from, for a battle that continues since centuries against Hinduism?
Most activists burn out very quickly because they are not anchored on the very Dharma that they are trying to protect.
Saving Sanatana Dharma requires a multi-pronged strategy of sustained work at the level of our families, neighbourhoods, temples, media and our institutions.
Learning the Gita convinces you more than ever about protecting Dharma and you are willing to do what it takes to live it, preserve it, promote it and protect it.
Objection 5: Bhagavad Gita appears too religious and I’m not Hindu.
Response: The Gita, while a part of Hindu Shaastra presents universal and practical wisdom that transcends religions.
Is the law of action and results, Hindu?
Is the knowledge that this world is full of intelligence from the symmetrical design of the petals of a flower to the bird creating its nest, Hindu?
Are the values of non-harming, compassion, discipline, truthfulness, Hindu?
Due to the separation of the church and state in the West and moving away from religion, we are applying the same foreign binary divide to Hinduism which has no sacred-secular divide.
The Bhagavad Gita was revealed by Bhagavan and hence it is within the scope of religion, spirituality and philosophy, words which attempted to compartmentalise life, centuries long after the Gita was spoken.
While the Gita has been preserved in a Hindu culture, many non-Hindus, including scientists and philosophers, have found value in its teachings and have become Hindu in their way of life. Unlike Abrahamic religions which believe that their way is the only way, Hinduism does not seek to convert anyone.
Objection 6 : The Gita is not scientific.
Response: In the traditional view, the Gita is not scientific and need not be scientific.
The Gita offers a complementary perspective to scientific understanding rather than contradicting it.
Science as a body of knowledge is based on perception and inference. In dismissing notions, it uses the scientific method. The scientific method involves careful observation coupled with scepticism and creating a hypothesis through inductive reasoning. With further experimentation and statistical analysis, the hypothesis is either adjusted or discarded.
The problem with Science admitted by scientists themselves is that Absence of evidence is taken to be as evidence of absence. Since there is no evidence of God/Bhagavan as he/she/it cannot be perceived as corresponding to the ideas in one’s mind, Science dismisses the idea of God. Absence of evidence is taken to be evidence of absence.
The Gita as a part of Vedanta is a means of knowledge and what it says cannot be refuted by science, which is based on observation and inference. The Gita is similar to Science in that it uses rigorous logic and reason to explain our experiences. However, the knowledge of the Gita about Consciousness, rebirth, the law of karma, and svarga cannot be refuted by Science as their realms are different.
Many aspects of the Gita, such as the intelligence of the universe and the interconnectedness of all things, align with quantum physics and cutting-edge scientific theories.
Objection 7: The Gita is just another self-help book on psychology or management.
Response: Unlike typical self-help books which focus on a narrow area of improvement, as important as these are, the Gita offers a comprehensive worldview and a path to self-realization.
It delves deeper into the nature of the human condition, the existential angst experienced by all, the human problem of perceived limitation and the solution of knowledge liberating the person from sorrow, for good.
The Gita offers the framework of Dharma and clearly speaks about the nature of Bhagavan which are missing in both psychology and management. Please refer to a paper presented at the Indian psychology conference titled – Indian psychology is incomplete without Dharma and Ishvara.
Books on psychology and management offer helpful methods and tools for the symptoms of dissatisfaction, anxiety, low productivity etc. The underlying assumption is that the identity of the human being based on the form is the absolute reality. On the other hand, the Gita points to the unchanging nature of consciousness of the human being. Thus, Gita provides a foundation for lasting transformation rather than quick fixes provided by these .
Objection 9: The Gita’s teachings are too idealistic and impractical.
Response: The teaching was given on a battlefield, symbolizing its applicability to real-world challenges. Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya writes,
“From a clear knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita all the goals of human existence become fulfilled. Bhagavad-Gita is the manifest quintessence of all the teachings of the Vedic scriptures.”
The wisdom of the Gita offers –
Universal wisdom: The Gita offers timeless principles applicable to all aspects of life, transcending age, culture, and personal circumstances. Its teachings are relevant whether you’re single, married, raising a family, or retired.
Stress management: In our fast-paced world, the Gita provides a sustainable way of managing stress and maintaining equanimity by understanding the laws of karma and one’s role in all of it besides the role of Ishvara. One develops an abiding gratitude which cannot co-exist with fear and stress.
Dharma-based living: If one is obsessed only with money or pleasure without a moral compass, sooner or later one will bend the law, leaving a trail of lies, regrets and guilt. We want our lives to be more than money and pleasure. We want our lives to have meaning, connection and contribution. This is possible through the universal framework of Dharma (ethics and values). When one is Dharma based in embodying truthfulness, kindness, efficiency, justice and so on, one is able to navigate challenges and make difficult decisions. This is crucial for everyone, from young adults starting their careers to middle aged people struggling with aging parents and growing teenage children and even retirees reflecting on their life choices.
Work-life balance: The Gita’s teachings on karma yoga offer insights into maintaining a healthy work-life balance, which is essential for both career-focused individuals and those managing family responsibilities. We will be prompted to say – First get a life and then we will talk about balance.
Relationship guidance: The Gita’s wisdom on roles and duties while managing our intense emotions helps us be the loving person we long to be. The Gita ‘s wisdom helps us to significantly improve our relationships, whether with a partner, family members, friends, or colleagues.
Coping with change: Life is full of transitions, and the Gita’s teachings on impermanence and adaptability are invaluable for anyone facing major life changes, from starting a new job to having children to relocating to a new continent to entering retirement.
Objection 9 : The Gita is only for senior citizens
Response – About 50 years ago, more senior citizens would study the Gita as they had the time and leisure post-retirement alongside the lack of entertainment options then. With an improvement in the standard of living and rising stresses of living in cities and towns, more adults are seeking sustainable ways to manage life. Hence the Gita is for all adults.
Whoever starts learning the Gita is so stunned by its wisdom that they rue and regret why they did not start sooner. As one of them said – I would not have controlled my kids as much. I would have learnt to let go of my grudges. I would have been more in harmony with everyone. If only I had joined earlier…as she looked away far in the distance.
The Gita is both about self-mastery and self-discovery and hence applicable at all stages.
The Gita offers a path of self-mastery that can be integrated into any lifestyle, providing a sense of purpose and connection to something greater than oneself and understanding one’s purpose in life.
The Gita is a profound guide to self-discovery, helping people see that they were always free, neither subject to birth or death.
One of the Upanishads says that you are a miser if you have lived and died away without knowing who you really are – the very joy and fulfilment that you seek. The glorious mind that one has been given has been used for everything else except knowing the truth.
After considering all nine objections, it is clear why the Gita’s teachings are universally applicable and beneficial, making it a valuable study for anyone seeking personal growth, inner peace, and a deeper understanding of life.
Trust me. Learning it traditionally with a Guru will transform your life as it has mine and all the others who have walked this path.
Do consider joining the upcoming Bhagavad Gita course scheduled for August 2024. What are you waiting for?
Om Sri Krishnarpanamastu
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