The Evergreen Gita

Swami Brahmeshananda

UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA, An Exposition of the Gita in the Light of Modern Thought and Modern Needs, Volume I (pp.519) and Volume II (pp.547). By Swami Ranga-nathananda. Advaita Ashrama, 5 Dehi Entally Road, Calcutta, 700014, 2000. Hardbound, Rs.120 each.

The Gita needs no introduction. As the commentator informs us, it forms a part of the mighty epic, Mahabharata, and was taken out by Shankaracharya, who also wrote a most beautiful commentary upon it. Since then not only all the founders of the orthodox schools in India, but many scholars, both Indian and foreign, have written commentaries on the Gita, or rendered it into other languages.

While the acharyas wrote commentaries to establish their specific schools, other commentators wrote in the context of the times in which they lived. For example, Shankaracharya, through his commentary tried to find a reconciliation between karma and Jnana, while Madhusudan Saraswati tackled the problem of Jnana versus Bhakti. Swami Ranganathananda is one of those modern thinkers who has successfully interpreted not only the Gita, but also the Upanishads in the light of modern thought and modern needs. This is amply evident on every page of the book which is an edited transcript of his weekly talks on the Gita. The reader continues to get the feeling that he is actually listening to the swami's voice.

According to the swami, `the first three chapters (of the Gita) convey the central theme of the philosophy and spirituality of yoga, which Sri Krishna refers to at the beginning of the fourth chapter. That philosophy is enriched in the remaining fourteen chapters. But the core of the original message has been expounded in chapters two and three.'

In the masterly `Introduction', which can form an independent booklet in itself, the swami has explained important concepts like pravritti and nivritti, abhyudaya and nishreyasa, and brahmanatva, while commenting upon Shankara's Introduction to his commentary. Explaining the role of divine incarnations, the swami says that the incarnations do not initiate any reform movements but stimulate the spiritual impulse in the human beings as a result of which great reform movements arise in the course of centuries. The distinction between culture and civilization is also pointed out: culture is the dynamic aspect of society; when it weakens, civilization declines. Civilization is a sign of decline, culture is a sign of development. The stage of `becoming' is culture; when one has `become', that is civilization. Cultural decay is avoided by cross--fertilization of cultures, which was advocated by Swami Vivekananda in his Lectures from Colombo to Almora and the book under review is one of the finest attempts in this direction.

Like many other commentators, Swami Ranganathananda too, has not commented upon the verses of the first chapter of the Gita, which describes the setting in which the Gita was delivered. The actual teachings begin with the second chapter. The first verse graphically describes the depressed condition of Arjuna, and the next two Sri Krishna's shock treatment which Swami Vivekananda loved very much. The swami, therefore, has chosen these verses for a detailed treat- ment and while doing so, has equated, like Swami Vivekananda, strength and fearlessness with virtue and dharma and weakness with their opposite. That is the message of Vedanta. It has also been stated that this is not a book advocating war. This is a book of human development and fulfilment.

The highest concept of human development, not only according to the Gita, but the whole of Sanatana Dharma, is `fearlessness with compassion: one who does not frighten the world and one who is not frightened by the world'. The word used for such a person is ajatashatru, a person who does not recognize any enemy at all. But one must learn to protect oneself by peaceful means, and if necessary, by violent means as well. Don't increase the evil in the world by your non--resistance to evil. That is why the first part of the Gita teaches how to develop yourself, gain self--confidence, and achieve `manliness'. Towards the end Sri Krishna gives us the higher dimension: surrender everything to God. Unless you are very strong, you cannot surrender, concludes the swami.

Verses 11 to 30 of the 2nd chapter consist of metaphysical arguments based on jnana--marga, which describe the Atman as free, immutable, birthless, deathless. Based on this metaphysical vision Arjuna is induced to fight. While commenting on the 16th verse, the swami clearly explains the difference between tattvam and matam. Tattvam makes for union. It is only one, while matam could be many.

There are two dimensions of spirituality: spirituality of work and spirituality of meditation. Both are combined into a comprehensive vision. The Jnana marga teaches that the soul is immortal and death and life are two aspects of the same reality. This truth was never understood in the West, except by one person, Socrates. The reason, as the Gita itself says, is that the Atman is mysterious, extremely difficult to perceive and which the British poet, Browning, has called `the imprisoned splendour'. This wonderful, mysterious Atman must be realized and in the 30th verse the Gita advocates an attitude of control, of not grieving for beings. This can save one from a lot of suffering in life.

The 38th verse is the dividing line between the previous verses and those that follow. From verse 39 onwards, Sri Krishna expands his original philosophy based on practical Vedanta, called buddhiyoga, which teaches us how to perform action and yet not get bound. This buddhi is characterized by reason, tremendous concentration of mind, coupled with feeling and will. Sri Krishna then criticizes the ritualist in three verses, 42 to 44, and the swami gives us the gist by telling that, `the policy should be minimum ritual and maximum character development'. It is only the Vedas, among the scriptures of the world which advocate going beyond even the Vedas themselves. In sanatana dharma, sadhana and anubhava, spiritual practice and experience, have been emphasized over scholarship.

The swami has chosen verses 47, 48 and 50 for lengthy expositions. The work which I do is not only `my' work and the fruits do not belong to `me' alone. The whole world is around us; how much do we owe to other human beings? I am only one beneficiary. Other beneficiaries must also be considered. It is actually detachment from the unripe ego, `I'. Unless this unripe ego matures and become ripe, the individual would remain stunted. The swami then takes up a detailed analysis of the ego of man, what he has rightly called `a profound new datum'.

In the 48th verse, one of the two definitions of yoga--samatvam--has been given, and the swami has emphasized the need for inner stability, `a fixed interior milieu', for higher intellectual development. Physical homeostasis must be complemented by a psychic homeostasis. The 50th verse gives the second definition of yoga: efficiency in action. It is a combination of productive efficiency without, and spiritual efficiency within. Both are required. In India, we still need productive efficiency. But if we neglect inner spiritual efficiency, we shall have more of mental tension, more of strain and breakdown. Hence Sri Krishna wants every one, an official, a teacher, a doctor to be a `yogi'--not a cheapyogi, but a true yogi. Pursuit of knowledge is the true worship of Saraswati, and when that knowledge is put into practice, it leads to wealth, Lakshmi.

While elaborating on the sthitaprajna darshana, the swami points out that people who have, and yet seek more and more, cannot have yoga--buddhi. They are rich but `poverty--stricken'. The buddhi of a man of self--control quickly becomes steady. Remaining at the sense--pleasure level makes for bhoga; one must rise from bhoga level to yoga level; otherwise you will be in roga. Even to be a law--abiding citizen and to have a healthy society, one needs a little control of sensory system. Together with this, the mind must be yoked to the Atman within.

In the 67th verse, the human tragedy caused when the mind follows the uncontrolled senses is graphically described. All tragedies have one common characteristic, of losing self--control. A tragedy seen or experienced could act as a mental purgative, but unfortunately, people re--enact it in their own lives. That is the biggest tragedy. Instead, one must go from pleasure that is lower to the pleasure that is higher and still higher, as Sri Ramakrishna says: march onward. The last verse summarizes the message of the second chapter--attainment of brahmi(sthitaprajna) state--even while living.

In the third chapter Sri Krishna deals with the age old controversy of action and inaction and stresses the importance of action. An unattached person who engages in work is excellent. According to the swami, the seventh verse gives the best description of excellence in action, where a sense of masterliness is manifest. The word yajna discussed so often in the Gita stands for the concept of interconnectedness of the world. That old concept of yajna is today developing into the truths of ecological balance. This is further stressed by parasparam bhavayantah in the 11th verse. The swami has shown concepts parallel to these in the modern context as in the 2nd phase of the Women's Liberation Movement in the West, and also in the concepts of renunciation and service of Swami Vivekananda. Yajna actually represents a high ethical principle: to work with a sense of dedication. A person, who delights in the Atman alone, has no obligatory duty to perform. While commenting upon the 20th verse, the swami disagrees with the famous dictum `power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely', since the Gita shows how power can be made incorruptible, through the concept of rajarshis. Ethics of lokasamgraha is a wonderful concept in the Gita.

The last seven verses of this chapter are an in--depth study of the subject of crime, its causes and how to overcome it. And the swami has devoted as many as forty pages for this very important study. Crime is produced by unrestrained desire and an undisciplined mind. Society itself is a field for the discipline of desire, to divert it to something higher. Modern biology and ecology are realizing this need for disciplining desire. Crime cannot be reduced by increasing the police force or by Acts and laws. Spiritual growth through training of the mind alone can make decent citizens. That also leads to freedom and fulfilment, but it has to be done by the person himself. The sense organs, mind and intellect form a wonderful equipment for human fulfilment. But if they are infected by kama and krodha, we suffer a `ship wreck'.

The swami has chosen the first three verses of the fourth chapter to discuss in detail the concept of rajarshi. He who handles power is a raja; and those who follow this philosophy of yoga and possess spiritual motivation are rishis. Undigested power leads to inebriation, mada, which the swami says, quoting from the Mahabharata, could be of various types. But for the wise they could conduce to dama or self--control. Power also leads to injustice, while it must be used to instill dignity and a sense of worth among the common people. This, the swami has explained with examples from actual life situations. The concept of rajarshi is also found in Chinese thought as `sagely within and kingly without' the exact translation of the word.

Verses 7 and 8 deal with the concept of divine incarnation. The swami points out that in avatara the two concepts of history--making and divinity coalesce together. Bhakti centred in a divine incarnation is a great source of power to stimulate human spiritual progress. The swami then takes up for a very detailed discussion the tenth verse, especially the concept of jnanatapas. Training the mind with education is one aspect of jnanatapas. The other more important aspect is the conquest of anger, lust and fear. Jnanatapas means converting the human mind into a refinery by disciplining it and bringing out the pure product of character. In the tenth verse, the swami points out that Sri Krishna is giving prominence to the central theme of our culture: harmony of religions. He also points out that the main purpose of the 13th verse is to emphasize detachment and not the caste system. Explaining the subsequent verses, the swami says that when agency and attachment are absent, work ceases to be work; it becomes spontaneous, natural.

In commenting upon the 24th verse, the swami points out that there is nothing but Brahman, the divine, everywhere and in every action. There is a universal oneness behind multiplicity. He again emphasizes the importance of jnana, knowledge, while commenting upon the last verses dealing with various types of yajnas.

Volume II consists of Swami Ranganathananda's commentary on chapters 5th to 11th. The fifth chapter begins with Arjuna's confusion and the swami comments that often even the clearest teachings can confuse people. Such confusions had ruined the Indian mind for the last thousand years. True spirituality must raise the whole world--the swami emphasizes this in the most forceful language and states that Vedanta is a most complete philosophy of life.According to the swami the fifth chapter contains the exposition of `the philosophy of equality' (samatva, samadarshitva). While commenting on the 4th verse, the swami stresses the importance of a householder's life; and also points out the difference between obstinacy and will. Obstinacy can't change, will can. If a householder does not stagnate at the sensory level, he is not a samsari but a sannyasi. The swami points out that in the whole of the fifth chapter, emphasis has been laid upon the attitude to work. When you work without excitement, without tension, without fuss, with a calm mind, it is as good as non--acting. Commenting upon the next few verses the swami explains in detail swabhava or nature, which could be animal, human or divine nature.

According to the swami, verse 19 is the soul of the whole chapter. Pure consciousness, Brahman, is absolutely pure, ever free and equally present in all. By realizing this universality we attain the goal of our lifesamatva. While commenting upon the 21st verse, the swami explains various types of bliss, of which those derived by bahyasparsha is the lowest.

The swami advises that every father and mother must convey to their children the message expressed in the fifth and sixth verses of the sixth chapter: that of self-effort, taking the whole responsibility for one's development on one's own shoulders and not to blame others for one's failure. The swami then rapidly goes over the verses dealing with the technique of meditation, emphasising in verse 16 and 17 a temperate and sane approach to life. Mind is best when it is controlled, disciplined and concentrated on the infinite self of man. To the practice of yoga, efficiency in action, Sri Krishna has added this meditation also for this purpose. The fourteen verses 29-32, the swami points out, deal with the capacity of human beings to see the same divine Reality in all beings. This chapter shows how same-sightedness, samatva, can be achieved by meditation. The seventh and several subsequent chapters show how this can be achieved through Bhakti. The swami then spares no pains to show the importance of abhyasa or practice for success in any field of life.

Towards the end of the sixth chapter, the swami dives into an excellent discussion on the real essence of religion. Do's and don'ts of religion are merely preliminaries. The essence of religion is in the search. Then only religion becomes a science. Even an enquirer into spiritual truths goes beyond the letter of the scriptures. This concept of inquiry, not remaining at the level of do's and don'ts is very strong in Indian spiritual tradition, but not in Islamic or Christian tradition.

The swami chooses verses 4, 5 and 6 of the seventh chapter for a detailed discussion on the nature of reality, prakriti, in the course of which he points out that the physical, material reality is the inferior one; but there is another higher reality called intelligence or consciousness. Till recently, western science did not acknowledge the existence of intelligence or consciousness, but now many modern scientists are beginning to accept it. Western scientists had earlier tried to explain the phenomenon in terms of the brain. But they have been compelled to consider the reality of mind behind the brain. He also discusses what has been told about creation in the upanishadswhere it is called srishti, projection, and the various levels of evolution, cosmic, organic, as well as human or the spiritual evolution which ultimately leads to the freedom of Pure Consciousness from matter. He discusses in detail, the various aspects of mayasattva, rajas, tamas; the vidya maya and avidya maya, etc. while commenting upon the 14th verse. While commenting upon the subsequent verses, the swami specially emphasizes the scientific attitude of Sri Krishna and the upanishads in decrying petty gods and goddesses and emphasizing the one supreme consciousness and avatara (verse 27, 28).

The eighth chapter begins with a number of questions by Arjuna. The swami, while commenting on the way people die, explains that Vedanta teaches us not only how to live but also how to die. Greek thought, however, had never been able to reconcile itself with death. Then follow the two beautiful verses, 9 and 10, describing the Divine, meant for daily prayer, with an equally beautiful commentary. In analyzing the word yogabala, the swami points out the various strengths or bala: physical strength, intellectual strength, and finally yogabala, attained by spiritual realization. That is the real strength. In the next few shlokas the ancient cosmology is discussed in the light of modern thought. Man's helplessness in the cosmoscoming and going in a cyclecan disappear on realizing the great truth of Supreme Reality or Brahman.

The swami chooses the phrase pratyaksha-vagamam of the second verse of the ninth chapter to emphasize his philosophy of life: `In everyday life, during everyday activity, you can realize this truth...As a housewife, as a labourer, as a politician...you can realize the truth.' That is how ecstasy in daily life is possible. The swami concludes the chapter with a profound statement which summarizes his understanding of the whole chapter: `The science and technique of religion is really simple. We make it complicated.'

The tenth chapter, vibhuti yogathe Lord manifested as the universeaccording to the swami, has made Indians respect greatness wherever it is found. The commentary of the eleventh chapter is comparatively shorter. But in this chapter full of descriptions of the Divine, the swami has pointed out what is sanatana dharma, which does not change, and the yuga dharma which changes from time to time, in its application in a democracy and the constitution.

No review can really do justice to this profound bookprofound from the first page to the last. Although not a fiction, this is one of those books whose reading, once started, cannot stop till the end. Instead of going into philosophical technicalities, the swami has everywhere emphasized the practical aspect: character building, human development and the uplift of the nation. This book must be read, reread, and read again by every one interested not only in spirituality but in human values in general.

These two volumes take us only upto Chapter XI of the Gita. The reader anxiously waits for the final volume of the swami's exposition which shall take us to the fulfilment of life.