Why Bhagavadgita is India's #1 scripture

I don't wish to debate the idea of making Gita India's national book. For one thing I don't understand what that status will imply. But surely I wish to tell you why I think the Gita is India's most important scripture.

To begin with,  for a scripture to be of timeless importance,  it has to have direct relevance to our lives. It has to address both ethical and social issues. It has to provide guidance for a seeker of truth. You may give the status of truth to what is scientifically validated, or spiritually experiential, or both.

Second, the scripture has to be easy to read and understand. It has to have layers of meaning which are consistent and that make sense to different readers. It has to talk not through myths and legends but through a more direct discourse.

Third,  it should have an authentic text which prevents people from disputing endlessly  for versions and interpretations.

Fourth, it should have a transformational power which rules the minds and hearts of men.

The Gita qualifies on every one of these criteria, as will be seen from a study of the work and its various commentaries. Let me add some more points.

First of all it is a direct dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna,  a warrior, standing ready to battle his enemies for his right to the kingdom, which has been taken away wrongly. His friend and guide Krishna has become his charioteer. Arjuna has sudden doubts of what's right for him to do. He gets advice from Krishna. For those confused about Gita's context for the righteous war, I suggest reading the Mahabharata first. And then Gita. Anyone who has not read either Mahabharata or the Gita seriously has no right to take part in this discussion.

Krishna gives his advice first at the level of responsibility for a warrior readied for battle for a cause he has stood for, all his life. This gives a social and ethical basis for discussing one's duty within the context of Arjuna's life situation.

But Gita quickly moves into ideas of the nature of existence and creation,  how man acquires his tendencies and propensities,  how he has to deal with conflict,  how he has to give back to life.  We may feel uncomfortable with Hindu concepts of rebirth, karma and such. But we are discussing here a scripture of this nation, and these ideas are implicit to our way of life and form the fabric of thinking for an entire civilisation. That is why both Buddha and Mahavira accepted rebirth and karma theory as the basis of their teachings also.

The concept of karma and rebirth provides a strong basis for ethics.

Now Gita does not stress image worship, ritualistic prayer and ostentatious ceremony. Very briefly, Krishna says that all duty done well is a sacrifice or offering that helps the entire circle of life. Worship is more important in spirit and attitude. Worship is not meant to be ostentatious display. In fact Krishna says it is evil and unethical to horde and display wealth. Wealth is to be treated only as a trust.

There are far reaching discussions also in the Gita about-
Discipline in habits,  day-to-day living,
Moderation in rest and recreation,
Leading by example others- especially those who look up to a man of influence,
Taking failure as a stepping stone to success,
Treating success with equanimity,
Giving to others generously,
Speaking the truth,
Contemplation and solitude for self-development,
Becoming attuned to the circle of life.

All these ideas as developed and discussed in the Gita have no mythological dimensions but are dipped in immense practicality.

Man has also to find answers and meanings in life as well as in death. Krishna deals with these aspects in a most inspiring and thought- provoking manner.

Finally Krishna also lists what's wrong- meaningless ritual, blind adherence to practice without commitment to the larger goal of life, and a dogmatic response to reality.

I don't know of any other such timeless classic in Indian civilisation. Bhagavad Gita is for me the scripture for the Hindu way of life.

Good Morning, God!

Her "Good morning, God!"has a cheerful ring.

This one moves to the head of a long winding line descending and disappearing from here, from above the clouds, into mist and smog down to earth. It's a girl. She wishes that their much awaited picnic, since dad has an unexpected holiday, goes well and she gets ice-cream and cotton candy.

The next one moves up. He is a portly man in unkempt clothes, getting ready to run to his shop, Jayalaxmi Wines. The weekend sales were good but that Raghavendra Spirits, opened just opposite his prime location, is a worry. "Please make sure my sales increase, and I will spare no effort to rope in the college boys and teachers nearby".

The next is an IAS officer. He wants a transfer from Naxal-hit hinterland to the urban chaos where no IAS officer can ever be pulled up for non-performance, what with the din and garbage all around. Not to mention the wobbly government and coalition CM.

Then comes a school teacher. She really wishes her ward well, the one whose talent is about to be recognised by Intel for Youth Ideas.

The next is a musician. He has been praying for a prime slot in the Kutcheri circuit, and a sabha secretary has promised him the much needed break.

Then a housewife. She has already been busy making breakfast, packing everyone's lunch and ironing clothes. She is praying that the larger than life Anandi in Balika Vadhu is not falsely implicated for shop lifting.

And it goes on and on.

God looks tired. And very old. He looks much different from Michaelangelo's muscular masterpiece. More grey, more wrinkled, as he peers on the horizon. The sun never sets or rises for him. He hasn't slept a wink ever, and the constant "Good Morning, God" goes on all the time. He listens patiently, watches every face for a smile, a tear, and more importantly, honesty. He sees beyond what everyone shows on their face or in their voice. It is just that they never look at him, as they are simply engrossed in their own thoughts and the images and icons in front of them, with lamps, candles, incense and flowers.

They actually pray, but seldom believe.

The Tip of Rama's Bow

Have you ever wondered about the geography of Ramayana? There are many scholarly studies. They cover places, races, topography and many astronomical coordinates mentioned in the Valmiki epic. But one thing is a key element in Ramayana. Rama had to go to Lanka to bring back Sita.  He had to cross the ocean.

The southern tip closest to Lanka in India is Rameshwaram. More precisely the tip stretching out called Dhanushkodi. In Sanskrit that means dhanush=bow, koti=tip. The mythology is that Vibhishana, as the devoted newly crowned king of Lanka,  implored Rama to destroy the bridge that had been built across for the monkey army to cross over for battle; to destroy it was advisable to prevent future wrongful crossovers between the lands of demons and humans.  And Rama used his bow tip to shovel off an end of the bridge and make it nonfunctional.

The same tip of the bow which had made its marks on Rama's shoulder after that terrific battle he had singlehandedly fought with the several thousand rakshasas led by Khara and Dushana in the Dandaka forest. The poet Tulsidas makes a fine reference when he says, "AjAnubhuja-SarachApadhara-sangrAmajita-khara-dUSgaNaM"

The one thing stronger than Rama's arrow is his bow. And in its tip, when bent, is all the energy needed to dry up an ocean or break a bridge.

Another beautiful thing about Rameshwaram. I went there to the temple after visiting Dhanushkodi. The trip to the temple is easy,  as the massive beautiful temple is right in the town, by the sea.  On the other hand that land tip needs a 4WD jeep to carry you for miles and miles in desolate sand.

What is special about the temple? It is the most famous temple which is all about the devotee and less about the deity!

Rama,  after war, wants to expiate his sin of killing Ravana (a Shiva bhakta and a brahmin, no matter he wasn't a good sort). Sita makes a beautiful lingam out of beach sand.  Rama workships it and consecrates it as a jyotirlinga- the most famous, along with Kashi, of the 12 Shiva shrines, and  one of the four sacred pilgrim centres in the four corners of India.

Hanuman has something to do with Rameshwaram, too. He brings the linga as instructed by Rama from Kailas,  but is chagrined to find that he is late and Rama has followed Agastya's advice to adhere to the auspicious muhurta and worshipped the sand linga by Sita.

And devotees bring water all the way from Ganga in Kashi to Rameshwaram and perform abhisheka for Shiva.

Not only that. After bathing in the sea,  they go to 22 wells within the temple,  called thirthas, named after great rivers, holy places and incidents of Ramayana. Saying Om Namah Shivaya, they stand next to the well and an attendant pours a bucketful of water from the well. Dripping from well to well, they go through a great catharsis.  After wiping themselves dry and wearing fresh clothes, they go inside to worship Shiva.

So Rameshwaram is all about worship and the devotee.