To
a compilation of prayers and songs meant for the supreme lord the World Poet
coined a term “Gitanjali” for it. Linking to the practical aspects of life and
mission of an individual with the specified spiritual destiny, Saint Vinoba
coined the term “Katha[1]
Gita (Gita through a series of stories)” and incorporated all the teachings and
narratives of Gita in absolutely friendly way. Examples are in plenty. It had
not diffused the glory of the original compilation of Gita, also had not
conferred replacing the original poetic compilation with millions of
narratives. Waves of vibrations that the chanting of Gita creates is based on
the assimilation of collective vibrations of saintly senses that makes a way
out through the surrounding of the place of worship and gives birth to an
essence of keeping the collective vibrations of cooperation, brotherhood, divine
omnipresence and inter-linkages of senses alive.
We,
in the same manner, can successfully create hundreds and thousands of such
narratives duly inflicted with fundamental human values to make the spark of
Gita a confluous one, a vibrant one and a strategic one. It has enormous power
of accommodations for incorporating all sorts of socially and culturally
relevant directives within the scope of its teaching related to individual
refinement impregnated with spiritual ascent. It also makes the relationship of
creator and the creation a vibrant one. We can specify any of the particular
effort as an initiative inflicted with divine power meant for accomplishing
certain works. All such Gita, duly compiled by saintly people, are not with us.
In due course of time we have lost many of such beautiful, relevant and time
tested compilations due to various reasons. Our mind kept on imbibing presence
of such powers tradition by tradition through many of our rituals. Those
graceful efforts played a significant role in keeping waves of community
worship alive.
Wider dimensions and expanded
coverage of the teachings of Gita often make people worried about what to
follow and what not to follow in real life. Also in some cases it becomes
difficult to think about propositions in the actual ground. Because of lack of
timely relevant practical knowledge of the situation, people even keep
themselves aside from following and internalising teachings of the holy book in
the real life situation. Approach of such religious and cultural teaching,
therefore, should have proper considerations of some practical aspects of
rituals and worships.
Some people maintain a view
regarding Gita is that the entire aspects depicted in this holy book are a
confusing one. Saints from olden times worked differently to show that Gita is
much relevant in terms of rituals and propositions presented in it. Here also
we are trying to trace out a link up in between rituals, traditions and
practices that we have in nature to re-establish the age old faiths of the
omnipresence of divine within us at its varying formats.
We
can see things as they occupy a definite shape. We cannot see energy and power
due to their in capabilities of occupying space. To feel the presence of such
powers in our surrounding, we often take the support of our senses and
feelings. In some cases our observations are evidence based, in some other
cases it may have some imaginary propositions. Here comes the act of
limitations that restrict us to feel Ultraviolet and Infrared [2]radiations
which remained off the band of the visible spectrum and duly restricted our
sense of vision seven visible waves of light.
There arises another question related to our effort of analyzing the
relevance of the teachings of The Gita in present day situation. It was the
instructions delivered by Lord Krishna to Arjun during the epic age of Vedic
Civilisation. That time war had its presence in the scope of royal management.
That time conflicts had a final termination to war for making efforts a result
oriented. Sins and sinners had their presence in olden times and are still
there with us today; format and geo-locations might vary; arms and ammunitions
might differ. Even from the pages of history we can see how Prince Ashoka
smashed the Kingdom of Kalinga only because that kingdom had refused to
hand-over the murderer of his mother to him.
Later on the war and the loss of lives of many innocent people had
implied a deep impression in his mind and he had decided to refuse to take part
in any other battle simply meant for territorial expansion. Teachings of The
Gita have worked differently during different instances of the development of
conflicts and agony.
Since conflicts and agony are beyond the scope of any historic time
line, we can correlate teachings of any instances to prepare strategic actions
of any other present day sectoral management plans. It has the impetus of the
absolute knowledge of human actions, wishes, wills and conducts with absolute
apprehension of delivering the needful.
The reason of discontentment,
sorrow and agony of Arjun after entering the battle field was rejected
instantly by Lord Krishna through implying a sanction of his indulgence in the
war. Killing any individual or creating another one is not the role of any
warrior. A warrior can deliver the duty in time with a clear impetus of making
the wiser side victorious. There are instances when people indulge in conflicts
even after understanding destructive impacts of such instances. None of the
sides, as evident from different historical records, remain victorious after a
war.
It is the right place to mention about
Upanishads, often referred as Vedantas, as they exhibit doctrines, rituals and
worship patters prevalent in later Vedic Civilisation.[3] Those rituals and doctrines were duly
incorporated in the great epics to make all sorts of teachings easy to
understand. The Bhagavadgita along with majority of Upanishads and Brahmasutra
are known as PRASTHANATRAYEE.[4]
These three scriptures were studied extensively time to time to inculcate more
relevant knowledge related to Divinity and Spirituality. Out of 108 known texts
of Uapnishads only a dozen from the initial collection are considered as
Primary (MUKHYA).[5]
Concluding parts of Brahmans and Aranyaks are also filled with Mukhya
Upanishads.[6]
Authorship of all the anonymous tests duly collected from the garden of
Upanishads is unknown. Group of saints might have collected and represented
their lessons in the form of a collection.[7]
Conversation between women like Maitreyi and Gargi are also inscribed in the
holy texts of Uanishads.[8]
Root of all such creations is principally radiated out time to time in
different forms and also in different sectorian units from Vedas.
Pluralism of world view was characterised by the Upanishadic age;
gradually inclined more towards dualism by combining Sankhya and Yoga doctrines
efficiently.[9]
The Bhagavadgita moved on a step forward by incorporating Vedanta along with
Upanishadic dcotrines with an aspirations of delivering a common pattern of
rituals, social formats and political will to the youths of the olden times.
Maitri Upanishad aspires for attainment of reverence and completeness by
human beings with the help of the knowledge of Brahmans and repeated practices
of meditation on such knowledge by the self.[10]
Further study of the Bhagavadgita reveals
all such studies just like the gradual and successive unfoldment of petals of a
lotus to ensure sincere and perfect blossoming. Our effort should have some positive
motive force instead of some conflicting ideals of indulgence in debates or
conflicts; for such kinds of arbitrary motive force cannot bring forward real
objectives of teachings inscribed in the Holy Scripture.
.
Cultural
Convergence
In
the modern world we have various types of cultural and religious thought
process advocating rituals, customs and traditions of different types, which
are equally competent to enrich people in terms of knowledge assimilation, enhancement
of devotion, courage, will power and dedication. The way we receive each of
such culture to enrich our multiplurality will specify our degrees and ranges
of success. Our motive force will guide accordingly to explore possibilities of
working out converged cultural segments from all the rituals to move up towards
vibrant as well as integrated waves of multi plurality.
India,
at this juncture of the development of multiplurality, will be a best example
for all of us. Here people learned a lot to live with each other tolerate each
other and enrich each other differently. We cannot see light. Even we cannot
see the propagation of sound through the material medium. Light strikes our eyes,
reaches our brain and develops a sensation of vision through certain
biochemically regulated life process of vision. With some sort of illusion, or
lack of true knowledge only, we often claim that we can see light. Even all the
colours radiated out from the sun are not recognisable by us. If God resides
inside the individual, if all mysteries related to the ascent of a person on
the path of divinity, then why any devotee search it out for gaining the
blessings of any Divine power located outside the physically existing body? Why
such a dwindling situation any individual face during the tenure of worship?
Lord Krishna
narrated essence of feeling the Divine communion with the physically existing
life through witnessing cultivation of knowledge, actualisation of the presence
of any supreme power in sub conscious mind and possible ways and means to follow
that power. It enables an individual to
come across the feeling of the advent of some completeness in the mind through
knowledge transformation. Cultivation of knowledge regarding the relationship
of the divine and disciple is enrouted from the age old traditions through the
turmoil of the organic evolution. That evolution brought some change in the
process of exhibits, but the core remained the same. It was even more perpetual
and more profound regarding the ability of harnessing the relationship of
matter and energy. We cannot imagine the existence of matter without the
involvement of energy, and similarly energy takes a definite visible form to
occupy certain space in this universe.
How do people
see things and how do they correlate such unavoidable relationship of energy
and matter is depend upon the level of understanding that one adheres with. A
master of Physics and a master of Philosophy must have varying degree of
explanations for putting forth the mystery behind the mechanism involved during
inter-conversion of matter and energy. All organic combinations have certain
physical and chemical sets of combinations in such a definite ways that they
inculcate the abilities of interactions and abilities of giving birth to
senses. Even evolution of sensory structures and related orientations became
much collaborative in case of human beings. Here occurs a change which brought
us near the state of explorations meant for examining the hidden mysteries
behind creation and orientation of life forms in the living planet.
These days,
things are known to us that earth like situation exists in the universe. Only
the matter of concern is that we may not be able to reach the place even after
attaining the speed as that of light in a year or two. Only we can admire the
presence and orientation of such creations within our visibility. Only we can
explore and examine such things with the help of optical and electronic
instruments. With an understanding of such limitations human beings never
arranged any voyage to explore the inner world of senses that can allow us to
explore the outer orientation of time and space. Such an inner world
exploration may require a little effort to culminate senses within a
confinement for feeling the presence. There also resides a tremendous flux of
energy accumulated within such a small space. Those mysterious combinations
taking the form of life were explored differently by saints during olden times.
There
developed a science of explorations of the correlations of the Creation and the
Divine. Matter and energy indulged in a perfect orientation for letting senses
flow through them. Arrangement and orientation of all our senses are directed
outwardly. That is why we are bound to receive waves and sparks from the
outside world. Our inner world remains unexplored in most of the cases. Only
adherence of true knowledge and the journey of senses through inner world
during meditation can pave a way out for exploring our own self. Meditation is
the doorstep where orientation of senses get diverted towards the inner world
and bring out mysteries associated to the fact of accommodation of the Divine
power inside the living being.
Is that
Divine power is restricted to the human beings only? The answer is, obviously
and surely without any doubt, No. human beings has gained some sort of
evolutionary supremacy in due course of time, but other beings are also of same
potential and courage with a domination of animism in them. Dogs are loyal to
their master, cats exhibit better vigilance power, elephants are more
socialised beings having better memory power and tigers are the masters of
their own territory. Taking hold upon the surrounding and defining the role
according to trophic [11]
level, we can easily arrange these beings and others without any difficulty.
Philosophical and Spiritual supremacy is a step forward that makes a
distinction between other animals and human beings. Then also we can witness
inhuman acts from human beings and humanly acts from some inhuman animals. The
orientation of sense organ and correlation of senses and sensory responses with
memory and intellect is the only factor regulating such varying degrees and
conducts of animismic and hunmanismic behaviours.
Presence of
such a Divine power within the creation is the reason behind the maintenance of
an idea of serving humanity with a correlated apprehension of serving God. Only God cannot put a direct access to the
feelings of the presence of such immense power within us. It is the approach with
which we offer our services to living beings can develop a way out for us to
feel the difference.
Once during
pre-independent period in Bombay (at present Mumbai) a youth from some semi
urban place approached a saint for offering himself at the service to divine.
It made the saint happy. He wanted to know the exact reason behind his stand of
doing so. Saint also enquired about his capabilities and considered his
offering a wise one. Actually the fellow was searching jobs in the city. He was
also a normal Graduate from any sub –urban area and his financial situation was
also not so good. Perhaps the sacrifice might make him temporarily happy and
contented, but will become a burden in due course of time. With happiness saint
suggested him for searching out a suitable job and helping the parents and
inmates of the family financially. Only After gaining some wealth and knowledge
the person can really enjoy the glory of sacrifice. Right now the person has
nothing special to sacrifice. Such sacrifice inflicted with sorrow and agony
may put both the master and the disciple in trouble.
Even divine
cannot allow any individual to put oneself and families in trouble and agony.
It is the only state of contentment that helps a person during movement from
the physical world to the spiritual world. Offerings of any kind and in any
particular form will bring happiness.
Once upon a
time, a shopkeeper had a beautiful dream. The dream was so beautiful and so
perfectly understandable that he feared of sharing it with others. According to
his dream the God himself wanted to visit his shop. It was winter season and
more special about the time that, it was raining outside. Amidst such patchy
rains he preferred opening the shop. Inmates knew it better about his firmness
upon any decision. He prepared some sweet dishes, some snacks and few cakes for
the strange visitor of the day. Face of God was appeared in dream and was not
recognisable with any clear identification marks. “The Master must introduce
himself, or may give some signal so that his poor fellow can recognise”, his
happiness went on increasing bit by bit.
“Can I have
some snacks and a cake?” An old lady was approaching the shop with a can on her
hand.
“Today,
actually I’ve not opened the shop! If you came then please, have it.”
“Guest! Some
special or any usual one!” Curiosity of the old lady alarmed the shopkeeper for
keeping the matter a secret one.
A cowboy was
approaching holding a fruit in his right hand. “That guard is chasing me. Let
me come in, please.”
“But, you are
already inside my shop! Anyway let me see the fellow...”
Cowboy
narrated the entire incident behind the reason of his hunger. That fruit was
kept aside and the shopkeeper offered him a dish full of sweets, snacks and
cakes.
“Don’t worry
my child, I’m here with you.”
The matter
settled in an hour. Striking of the noon time bell of the cathedral instructed
the shopkeeper to finish his meal. But, what about that strange visitor! There
were no traces of such visit amidst the sprinkling of droplets in the courtyard
and a shower on the roads.
Evening time
visitors were a cobbler, a mason, a hawker and a vagabond. Earning was not the
matter of the day that is why he offered food to all the visitors with respect.
It became possible because of his happiness. At last the mind refused to
support him properly. Entire day and half of the night went on waiting for the
master. Ultimately the time came to stop waiting for the strange visitor. His
mind was still in a motive of receiving the visitor. May be the master is
trying to meet him when calmness mounts the surrounding. With such anticipation
he preferred keeping the door half open.
“So nice! So
sweet! Really all items were tasty..” , the masterly voice brought his
happiness back in dream.
“I may visit
you again and again.”
Morning time
dream mixed up profusely with chirping of birds and silver linings of the
clouds.
“God came!
Who was that? May be that boy! .. ” Series of anticipations and guessing went
on for few moments. The entire face of the shop keeper was glistening with
happiness. It was the time for feeling the presence of the Master in any nearby
position. It had developed a faith in his mind, “My Master must come and visit
me again.”
We cannot
deny the role of a school in the life of any individual. The person gains a lot
during school days. S(he) can learn how
to impart oneself in the society by redefining ones role in society.
It is not the
only aspect of life through which any individual gets an opportunity to expose
oneself to the fundamental value system prevalent in society. One’s choice
factor plays a definitive role in this regard.
Cultural
background of an individual is greatly influenced by the immediate
surroundings. Human beings, for an example of an ordinary type, are vegetarian
by nature, but omnivorous by intended vigil of gaining some essential proteins
from the animal sources. Development of canine indicates the biologically and
naturally assigned habit to human beings. If we aspire for remaining confined
within the naturally sanctioned habits of our own then the acts and conducts
related to the killing of animals for the sake of gaining essentials will
definitely go at its minimum.
Killing of
animals for obtaining food and medicine is perpetually inflicted with acts of
animism. It also signifies the place of human beings at a definite trophic
level. It has also exposed our relationship with other organisms and our
dependency upon the source. We rarely make ourselves capable of trapping waves
directly from the sun. It will always reach us through the involvement of
producers (such as green plants). Maintaining green plants in nature and
allowing them to prosper in our surrounding is, therefore, becoming a
non-avoidable activity of the system in which we are confirming our presence.
The referred system also limits our ascent and conducts. Within that limit of
acts and conducts any human being can explore possibilities of registering the
presence of oneself by performing the duties duly assigned to the individual
perfectly, perpetually and vividly.
[1] Hindi term Katha means Stories.
Saint Vinoba Bhave translated Shri Madbhagvadgita in Marathi and also wrote a
series of books to explain teachings of Gita through simple stories which were
also contextually relevant.
[2] Both Ultraviolet and Infrared
Radiations are the parts of the invisible band of spectrum incorporated in the
Solar Radiation. Our visual sense organ can feel the presence of only visible
spectrum comprising seven different colours.
[3]
Jan Gonda (1975), Vedic Literature: (Saṃhitās and Brahmanas), Otto Harrassowitz
Verlag, ISBN 978-3447016032
[4] Ranade, R. D.
(1926), A constructive survey of Upanishadic philosophy, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
[5]
E Easwaran (2007), The Upanishads, ISBN 978-1586380212, pages 298-299
[6] Mahadevan, T. M. P
(1956), Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (ed.), History of Philosophy Eastern and
Western, George Allen & Unwin Ltd
[7] S Radhakrishnan, The Principal Upanishads
George Allen & Co., 1951, pages 22, Reprinted as ISBN 978-8172231248
[8]
Ellison Findlay (1999), Women and the Arahant Issue in Early Pali Literature,
Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Vol. 15, No. 1, pages 57-76
[9]
Glucklich, Ariel (2008), The Strides of Vishnu: Hindu Culture in Historical
Perspective, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-531405-2
[10]
Hume, Robert Ernest (1921), The Thirteen Principal Upanishads, Oxford
University Press, pp. 412–414
[11]. A Trophic level signifies the food habit of
organisms during their representation as they exhibit in a food chain. Green
Plants, for example prepares their own food with the help of sunlight and
secures the first position in a food chain and basic position in the food
pyramid. Second trophic level is occupied by herbivores, followed by carnivores
at the third.
