Does the Gita teach us religion?

Discussion in 'Chitvish on Hindu Culture & Vedanta' started by Chitvish, May 3, 2007.

  1. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Religion is the art of living which can be pursued under all circumstances, at all places.
    This is, ultimately, the essence of all religions.

    The Gita is a practical philosophy, which teaches how people can live with equanimity, composure and ease, and thus most effectively come to meet always their own personal, social and national problems. The Gita elaborately explains them all.

    Religion is a great science and has a glorious uility in our daily life. We are not talking about the religion of doing puja and showing camphor. We want to know the religion which helps us to discover our dormant vitality and inner strength to face life’s challenges. This is amply provided by the Gita.

    True religion is the science that provides us a new inward courage of conviction to live honestly and serve others. Religion is a scientific re-evaluation of life, says Swami Chinmayananda. In ancient times, the Rishis retired to the forests in the Himalayas to evaluate the life of man. Today, scientists retire to the laboratories to investigate the outer world. The Rishis took their own inner world of experience as the field of their independent search for Truth. So we see that the methods and the process of thinking are the same for both ! The only difference is, the Rishis enquired “ who is man? “, whereas scientists ask “ what is the world ?”.

    Religion can be defined as the technique of perfect living. This is the secret content of the text books of Hindus, Muslims, Christians or Buddhists. Unless a master indicates how a man can live successfully and gain a mastery over his own life, he cannot become a religious head. We can say that the Gita preaches religion because she elaborately explains how members of society can live with equanimity, composure and ease and can also meet their own personal, social and national problems. That Arjuna was cured after Krishna preached him the eighteen chapters of the Gita shows, that the religion in the Gita reveals a secret process which brings forth an effective personality out of even a shattered man of despairs and disappointments. After litening to Krishna, Arjuna did not withdraw from the war, but fought and emerged a winner !

    Science has not been fully successful to teach us to turn our discriminating intellect on to our inner selves and analyse to arrive at a critical study. It is Vedanta which turns us to ourselves. Each man is a unique personality because his body, mind and intellect have distinct characteristics. In order to experience the world fully, he must learn the art of tuning these these instruments properly to the world around him. We get the joy of real existence when the well-tuned instruments of man come in contact with the sets of things and beings, conditions and happenings in life. The Gita discusses in detail, the ways of tuning up our personality all by ourselves !

    Vyasa conveys in the words of Krishna that religion is never to be practised in jungles or snow-capped mountains but if it is to become efficient and bless us with its happiness, must be lived at home, office, market place and parliaments !
    “Living the full life” is the theme of the great masters like Shri Shankara, Shri Ramanuja and Shri Madhwa. They all explained in their philosophies the technique by which we can discover in ourselves a better harmony. The core of the Gita indicates the theories of the Hindu way of life and reveals schemes by which every individual can work out his own self-improvement. By learning and following the Gita to the extent possible, one learns to stand up against odds and emerge successfully in the end. We will grow out of our weakness to be a better person to face our own problems in life. In the very midst of confusing situations, how to train the mind and intellect to evaluate and judge explosive conditions, threatening challenges and suffocating situations ? This know-how is explained exhaustively in the Gita. She helps us to discover the Higher Self, dormant within everyone of us.
    We emerge out of our inner gloom into an ample world and meet supreme success. Only the Gita way can accomplish this miracle. The process of total satisfaction revealed in her, shines out as a Beacon Light for all lovers of mankind and its destiny.

    Love,
    Chithra.
     
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  2. Kamla

    Kamla IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Chithra,

    Once again, a wonderful article. This was like a fountain of information about what exactly Gita is to us and what role it can play in our lives. They say that there really was no Hinduism. It was a way of living to the dwellers of India. It was a name given by the foreign occupants of our country. As much of our philosophy lies in our Vedanta and explained in Gita, what you say here makes a very valid sense.
    It is always amazing to see how you put forward such heavy subjects to us in a very simple language so that what otherwise can be confusing, is at once appears clear to the reader. This in turn reflects your deep understanding of our Vedanta and makes me want to imbibe you to a small extent at least.
    Thanks.

    L, Kamla
     
  3. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Kamla,
    With such beautiful complements from you, I only thank God, because, for me, it is
    Vasishtar Vayal Brahmarishi
    since you ae a senior citizen, experienced in life & a student of the Gita.

    What I have learnt about Hinduism is this:

    What is today known as Hinduism since the advent of the foreigners in this land is actually the Collected Wisdom of Ages, zealously guarded as a sacred treasure by the ancient Roishis & Yogis of India. We can, in fact, call it
    Mankind's Timeless Wisdom.
    There has never been a mention anywhere about who authored Hinduism! So we conclude the origin of Hinduism is as ancient as the Origin of Man himself !
    There is no second opinion about its tremendous antiquity. The truth is that Hindu texts contain no date of its beginning ! So we call them "Anadi".
    Not even Lord Krishna, believed to be the "embodied descent of God" by all Indians & author of the Gita is not claimed to be the author of Hinduism !
    The word Hinduism does not occur in the Gita at all. Nor does any other scripture ! So we can safely conclude that Hinduism is a word coined by the foreigners who wanted a convenient word to designate the faith of Our ancient wisdom, zealously guarded over ages in India.
    You gave me an opportunity to share my thoughts, Kamla - I cannot thank you enough.
    Love,
    Chithra.

    quote=Kamla;61325]Dear Chithra,

    Once again, a wonderful article. This was like a fountain of information about what exactly Gita is to us and what role it can play in our lives. They say that there really was no Hinduism. It was a way of living to the dwellers of India. It was a name given by the foreign occupants of our country. As much of our philosophy lies in our Vedanta and explained in Gita, what you say here makes a very valid sense.
    It is always amazing to see how you put forward such heavy subjects to us in a very simple language so that what otherwise can be confusing, is at once appears clear to the reader. This in turn reflects your deep understanding of our Vedanta and makes me want to imbibe you to a small extent at least.
    Thanks.

    L, Kamla[/quote]
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2007
  4. AGR

    AGR Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear Chitra Madam

    Once again thanks for a crisp note.

    Ihave heard that it is difficult to understand and digest the substance (Saransh) of Gita. Atleast now I know what it actually contains. Thanks a lot.
     
  5. Kamla

    Kamla IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Chithra,

    Those are lofty words you use to describe my seniority .... I am yet to get there, have to strive to do so.
    I hesitate to call myself a student of Gita, I am very far from it. I shall call myself that only when I have put my attention and read atleast One whole chapter with understanding.
    Was nice to read what you had to say about Hinduism. A very learned opinion, if I may say so.

    L, Kamla

    Aside: I am plagued right now with connectivity problems:( Hence cannot get to see the posts or mail. I am rushing to write few lines whenever I get lucky with network. So don't wonder at rare appearances!
     
  6. meenu

    meenu Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear Chith,
    Religion you have defined as an art of living. I have been defining it as a way of life. I liked your comparision of scientists and rishis. True, science is still very far from investigating self and I am wodering if so much knowlege of universe is necessary for those who have been trying to study the Self. For a person who has realised his self, creation will not look inaccessible. This post of yours clearly projects the tremendous amount of reading you have done to give us stark truth and realities in such a simple manner.We do bow before your hard work. THe post is very very interesting.
    Regards,
    Meenu
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2007
  7. vidhi

    vidhi Senior IL'ite

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    Dear Vidhi,
    You are always prompt & dutiful with your F B s on the very day of posting ! Thanksa ton for all the encouragement, you give me.
    Religion is not a "clearing house", it is not a "transaction", it is not an "exchange place", but the technique of perfect living, bringing out our effective personality. By learning this technique, we establish the right relationship with the world spread around us.
    I welcome you to stay tuned, Vidhi !
    Love,
    Chithra.

    Dear Chithra

    A very nice write up as usual. Yes we are learning slowly the different aspects. I agree the following sentence is very true.

    "We want to know the religion which helps us to discover our dormant vitality and inner strength to face life’s challenges"

    The explanation about how Hinduism was very logic. You have explained well.

    I am staying tuned Chithra.

    Love
    vidhi
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 3, 2007
  8. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Akhila,
    Thankyou for joining us here.
    The very idea of my giving introductions to Gita from various perspectives, is to give you an idea of how useful it is in our daily living - though far from easy, but has to be developed by self-motivation.
    Please continue with me in this journey, Akhila !
    Now, I think, you can start calling
    Love,
    Chithra.

     
  9. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Meenu,
    An early appearance, this week, to my very pleasant surprise?
    I beg to differ on a small note. I personally would say, a way of life, is accepting life as it comes to us whereas the art of living is cultivated consciously over a period, going through various experiences in life.

    Thanks for your nice words. Going deep into these topics has become an enjoyable exercise to me !
    I don't deny, conveying my thoughts crisply, is far from easy. I edit & fine tune it so many times, till the last minute. Then I leave it to God !
    Please continue with me, Meenu.
    Love,
    Chith.




     
  10. Malathijagan

    Malathijagan Silver IL'ite

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    Dear Chitra,
    You have selected a wonderful topic for a thread. As you have rightly said-"The Gita is a practical philosophy, which teaches how people can live with equanimity, composure and ease, and thus most effectively come to meet always their own personal, social and national problems. The Gita elaborately explains them all." The famous chatiot of Arjuna with the 5 white horses and with Krishna giving the sermon of the Gita in the battlefield which we see in all Gita books is actually has a great philosophical significance. The 5 horses are the 5 sense organs which are ever going outwards like the restless horses, the rider of the chariot is the jeevathma. He needs a charioteer (Parathma) to control the reigns of the unruly horses. So with the help of the Parathma the Jeevathma is able to get over his sensual indulgences and realise the real nature of the self.
    We can relate any chapter of the gita with owr ownselves and situations. It cannot be called religion, it teaches us the way of living as everybody else has also said.
    Gita was the inspiration for my poem-"Religion and Spirituality."
    Hope to see more on Gita.
    Love,
    Malathi
     

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