Chapter One : Our Demand and Need from the Gita

Chapter One : Our Demand and Need from the Gita : ....................Shrikant Soman

We have plenty of scriptures which are sacred or profane. They contain full or partial revelations. They promote religions or discuss philosophy. They may relate to sects, schools of thought or systems of thought and knowledge. The immature or partially mature minds of humanity attach a certain kind of exclusivity to one of these scriptures. With full passion and zeal they call a Scripture as the one and the only ‘Word of God’. They treat other scriptures as false. In some cases, even if they may attach some value to other scriptures, they call it imperfectly inspired. They treat their preferred scripture as the last word of the reasoning intellect. All the other scriptures are treated as either errors or as containing only a fragment of truth. This tendency of thought often leads towards a philosophical cult. Even the material science has fallen pray to this type of thinking. The material science then becomes a creed and refuses any place to religion or spirituality in the life of humanity. It treats spirituality as ignorance and superstition. This habit of excluding all the others to the selection of one is universal in the community of spirituality, religion, philosophy and material science. Sometimes even the wise men seem to fall pray to this type of thinking. They are misled by the spirit of darkness that has overshadowed their intellect. They are overtaken by the intellectual egoism or spiritual pride.

Happily, we have now progressed by a little bit to higher level of understanding and maturity. We have become more modest and wiser. We no longer hold the extreme views. We do no kill other human beings in the name of God’s Truth. We do not persecute others who have their minds differently trained or differently constituted from ours. We do not jump to the action of cursing or abusing or severely criticizing our neighbour because he has done the crime of having different opinion than ours. We do not call others wicked or presumptuous if they are following different path. We are even ready to admit the all pervasiveness of the Truth and relinquish our sole monopoly on the Truth. The purpose of our study of other religions has now become to be the search of Truth in these religions. Earlier, we used to study other religions and philosophies solely for finding faults in them so that we can damn these religions and philosophies, criticise them for their errors in our view point.

So far so good. But we still fall prey to the temptation to declare that our religion or philosophy offers The Supreme Knowledge. All others have either missed or partially or imperfectly grasped the Truth. We claim that the other religions and philosophies deal with subsidiary and inferior aspects of the truth of things. Sometimes we believe that these religions are for less evolved souls. Our religion is for more developed souls. We are also stubborn in our insistence that every dot and comma and underline contained in the original Scripture should remain unchanged as they all are part of the Eternally Valid Truth. The original inspiration of the prophets contains full details of the dots and commas and the underlines. It is all sacred.

In the above background our standpoint in studying the ancient Scripture like Veda, Upanishads or Gita need to be properly understood. Firstly, we need to indicate the spirit of our enquiry. We need to clearly understand as to what wisdom we may derive from these ancient Scriptures. We also need to know the benefit and utility of this wisdom to the humanity for its present and future needs. We also need to understand that first and foremost, we are seeking a Truth which is one and eternal. All other truths have their origin to this eternal Truth. In the light of this eternal Truth, all other truths are properly understood in their right place and relation to the scheme of knowledge. We have also to be cautious in not falling into the old trap of shutting up the Truth in one trenchant formula. We have to understand that the eternal Truth in all its entirety and bearings is not likely to be found in any single philosophy or Scripture. It can also not be preached by one single Teacher, prophet or Avatar. We can not also claim our full understanding of the Truth if we fall to the temptation of intolerantly excluding the truth underlying other systems. Any passionate rejection of other system means that we have not at all understood the Truth.

This brings us to the second part of our enquiry. We have to understand that the Truth has two aspects. One temporal and the other eternal. The eternal Truth expresses itself in Time and through the mind of man. The very act of expressing the truth makes the expression temporal. The Scripture expressing the Truth is influenced by the culture and ideas of the period and country and people in which it is expressed. This part is temporary and therefore perishable. The other part and the one in which we are interested here, is the truly eternal and imperishable Truth. This Truth is applicable in all ages and countries.
The following aspects of the statement of Truth as it gets expressed in the Scripture are therefore subject to losing their original force due to the passage of time.
These are :
1 The actual form (this includes the style of presentation)
2 The System and arrangement (of words, ideas etc)
3 The metaphysical and intellectual mould (as per the stage of development of humanity at the time)
4 The precise expression used (as per the language prevailing at the time, symbols and its prevailing meaning)
The reason for this losing of its original force is that the human intellect always modifies itself. It is in the habit of continually dividing and putting together its arguments. It shifts its divisions continually and rearranges its syntheses. It replaces old expressions and symbols with the new expressions and symbols. Even when it uses the old expression or symbol, it mildly or radically changes its connotations or at least its exact content and association. This makes it extremely difficult task in precise understanding of the ancient book of this kind. We can never accurately know the precise sense and spirit it bore to the people of its time.

The Truth has to be Universal. It also has to have been experienced, lived and seen with a vision which is higher than the mere intellectual understanding. This is of permanent value for us. We are more concerned here with this eternal aspect of the Truth.

We are here less concerned to know the exact metaphysical connotations as it was then understood by the men of the time. Even if we assume for the sake of argument that it is accurately possible to do so (i.e. to understand the exact metaphysical connotations as understood long back in time), we do not give importance to it. In actuality, it is not even possible to do so. This is very clear from the divergence (of meaning, interpretations and conclusions) of the original commentaries on Gita which have been written in the past and present. They all agree to disagree ! Each commentary finds in Gita its own system of metaphysics and trend of religious thought. This error is even inescapable from the most painstaking, impartial and disinterested scholarship. The most luminous theories of historical development of Indian philosophy are also susceptible to these errors.

We are therefore more concerned here about what is useful to the present day humanity. We want to understand the actual living truth it contains. This truth is timeless and therefore valid even today. We want to leave aside its metaphysical form in order to extract form Gita helpful wisdom for the present day humanity. We want to put the eternal wisdom of Gita in the most natural and vital form and expression. This need to be suitable to the mentality and spiritual needs of the present day humanity. We are aware that our attempt to do this may mix a great deal of error arising from our own individuality. It will also be influenced by the ideas of the present time. This type of susceptibility was also there in the case of greater men before us. It is bound to happen.

We need to comply with two conditions. Firstly, we should immerse ourselves in the spirit of this great Scripture. Secondly and most importantly, we should try to live in that spirit.
This will help us to
Find in the Scripture as much real truth as we are capable of receiving
Benefit from the spiritual influence and actual help that personally we were destined to receive.
Above is the main aim of writing the Scriptures. The rest is academic disputations or theological dogma.
In order for a Scripture, religion, philosophy to be of living importance to mankind, following criterions need to be fulfilled :
· They need to be constantly renewed and relived
· Continuous reshaping and development of their stuff of permanent truth
· This has to be done in the inner thought and spiritual experience of a developing humanity.
If above conditions are not followed, the Scripture remains as monument of the past. It has no actual force or vital impulse for the future.

In the Gita there is very little that is merely local or temporal. Its spirit is so large, profound and universal that even this little thing (which is local or temporal) can easily be universalized. This is achieved without reducing the value or violating the principle of the teaching. On the other hand, this process of widening the scope from its original country and epoch to the present day situation results in adding depth, truth and power to the teaching. Very often we find this principal stated in the Gita itself. There are clear hints in the Gita that an idea which is local or limited can be universalized.

Take for example the ancient Indian system and idea of sacrifice as an interchange between gods and men. In India itself, this system and idea has been practically obsolete for a long period of time. It is no longer a living system to the general human mind. However, if we closely study the meaning of word ‘sacrifice’ we find in it a very subtle, figurative and symbolic sense. Similarly the conception of gods is very little local or mythological, It is entirely cosmic and philosophical. This makes it easy for us to accept both the words of ‘sacrifice’ and ‘gods’ as
Practical facts of psychology
General law of Nature.
We can now apply these concepts to the modern conception of
interchange between Life and life
Ethical sacrifice and self giving
This will result in widening and deepening of these concepts. We can cast over them a more spiritual aspect. We can put a light of a profounder and more far reaching Truth.

Similarly the following concepts may at first sight seem to be local and temporal.:
Idea of action according to the Shastra
The Fourfold order of Society
The allusion to the relative position of the four orders
Comparative spiritual disabilities of the Shudras and Women
If we interpret these concepts in their exact literal and a very narrow sense we deprive them the benefit of universal application and spiritual depth. We then limit their validity for the mankind at large. We need to look behind these concepts to understand the true spirit and sense of them. We should not restrict our interpretation to the local name and temporal institution. When we do this, we realize that here too the sense is deep and true. The spirit is philosophical, spiritual and universal.
Let us have a look at the true meaning of Shastra and fourfold order of the Society according to the Geeta :
Shastra : The true and underlying meaning of Shastra according to Geeta is then perceived the ‘law imposed on itself ’ by the humanity as a substitute for the purely egoistic action of the natural unregenerate man. Its purpose is to control man’s tendency to seek the standard and aim of his life in the satisfaction of his desire.
Fourfold Order of the Society is merely the concrete form of a spiritual truth. This truth is itself independent of the form. This truth rests on the conception of :
Right works as a rightly ordered expression of the nature of the individual being. This individual being is the doer of the works.
Nature assigning him his line and scope in life. This is based on his inborn quality and his self-expressive function.

We have seen above that in this universal and eternal spirit the Geeta advances its most local and particular instances. We are therefor justified in extending this principle to all the other instances of local and temporal concepts and arrive at a deeper general truth. We shall always find that deeper truth and principle is implied in the grain of the thought even when it is not expressly stated in its language.

On the similar lines, we will interpret the element of philosophical dogma or religious creed which enters in to the Geeta. It may also hang about it. This is because of the use of philosophical terms and religious symbols current at the time.

For example, when Gita speaks of Sankhya and Yoga, we shall restrict ourselves only to the bare minimum discussion essential for our interpretation.
In the case of Sankhya, we will NOT dwell on
Its theory of One Purusha
Strong Vedantic colouring to the non-theistic or “atheistic” Sankhya that has come down to us with its schemes of many Purushas and one Prakriti
In the case of Yoga we will NOT concern ourselves with :
The Theistic Doctrine of many-sided, subtle, rich and flexible system
Yoga of Patanjali – fixed, scientific, rigorously defined and graded system

In the Geeta, the Sankhya and Yoga are evidently two convergent parts of the same Vedantic truth. We can also say that these two are the concurrent ways of approaching the realisation of Truth. These two ways can be classified into
Philosophical, intellectual and analytic
Intuitional, devotional, practical, ethical, synthetic - reaching knowledge through experience
We have to understand that in essence Geeta recognizes no real difference in the teachings of these two systems.

Similarly, we will not discuss the theories which regard Gita as the fruit of some particular religious system or tradition. We need to stress that the teaching of Geeta is universal irrespective of its origin.

We have to understand that what is most vital, profound and eternally durable in Gita is NOT the philosophical system on which it is based or its arrangement of truth. What is important is the core material on which the philosophical system is composed. Also what is important is the principal ideas contained in Gita. This is the eternally valuable and valid part of the Gita. The arrangement of truth is woven in to the complex harmony through a suggestive and penetrating manner based on these principal ideas.

The principal ideas presented in Gita are not merely the luminous ideas. Nor are they the striking speculations of a philosophic intellect. They are rather enduring truths of spiritual experience and verifiable facts of our highest psychological possibilities. We can not afford to neglect these aspects if we are making a serious attempt to read deeply the mystery of existence.

It should be noted that irrespective of the system of presentation in Gita, it is NOT framed or intended to support any exclusive school of philosophical thought. It does not predominantly put forward the claims of any one form of Yoga. Many commentators have strived to do so but it is wrong.

The Gita with its
Language
Structure of thought
And Combination and balancing of Ideas –
does not belong to –
the temper of a sectarian teacher
spirit of a rigorous analytical dialectics which cuts off one angle of the truth to the exclusion of all the other angles of truth.
We find in Gita a wide, undulating and encircling movement of ideas. These ideas are manifestation of a vast synthetic mind and a rich synthetic experience.

Gita contains synthesis of varied ideas of Indian philosophy. Gita is as rich as these various branches of philosophies in their creation of the more intensive and exclusive movements of knowledge and religious realisation. The various Indian branches of philosophies follow out with an absolute concentration one clue, one path to its extreme issues. On the other hand, Gita does not chop off truth in pieces, rather it reconciles and unifies the various exclusive branches of the truth.

Let us see how Gita reconciles the various branches of philosophy.
Monism
The thought of Gita is not pure Monism. However, Gita sees in one unchanging, pure and eternal Self the foundation of all cosmic existence.
Mayavada
Gita does not endorse the theory of Mayavada (i.e. this world is an illusion). However, it speaks of the Maya of the three modes of Prakriti (Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic) omnipresent in the created world.
Qualified Monism
Gita also does not support Qualified Monism. However, it places in the One his eternal supreme Prakriti manifested in the form of the Jiva. As supreme state of spiritual consciousness the Gita lays most stress on dwelling in God rather than dissolution of the worldly existence.
Sankhya
Gita does not endorse Sankhya philosophy. However, it explains the created world by the double principle of Purusha and Prakriti.
Vaishnava Theism
Gita is not Vaishnava Theism. However, it presents to us Krishna, who is the Avatar of Vishnu according to the Puranas. Krishna is stated to be the supreme Deity. On the one hand, the Gita allows no essential difference between Krishna and the relationless Brahman. On the other hand Gita proclaims Krishna as not inferior to Brahman. Krishna is stated to be the Lord of beings who is also the Master of the universe and the Friend of all creatures.

The spiritual synthesis of the Gita is like that of earlier Upanishads. It is both spiritual and intellectual. It avoids every type of rigid determination. This helps in not compromising the main feature of Gita – Universal Comprehensiveness. The polemist commentators on Gita found this Scripture established as one of the three highest Vedantic authorities. They attempted to turn it into a weapon of offence and defence against other schools and systems. The aim of Gita is precisely the opposite of this. The Gita is not a weapon for dialectical warfare. It is a gate opening on the whole world of spiritual truth and experience. The view of the Gita embraces all the provinces of that supreme region. Gita maps out. But it does not cut up or build walls or hedges to confine our vision.

There have been other synthesis in the long history of Indian thought.
1 In the beginning is the Vedic synthesis of the psychological being of man. It dwells in its highest flights and widest rangings of divine knowledge, power, joy, life and glory. It covers the cosmic existence of the gods. It pursued behind the symbols of the material universe into superior planes. These planes are hidden from the physical sense and the material mentality. The crown of this synthesis was meeting of man and god. It was in the experience of the Vedic Rishis. They saw in it something divine, transcendent and blissful. In their unity the increasing soul of man and the eternal divine fullness of the cosmic godheads meet perfectly and fulfill themselves.
2 The Upanishads take up from this crowning experience of the earlier seers. They make it their starting point for a high and profound synthesis of spiritual knowledge. They draw together into a great harmony all that had been seen and experienced by the inspired and liberated knowers of the Eternal. These experiences were from a wide range of great and fruitful period of spiritual seeking.
3 The Gita starts from this Vedantic synthesis. On the basis of its essential ideas the Gita builds another harmony of the three great means and powers. These are Love (Bhakti Yoga), Knowledge (Dnyan Yoga) and Works (Karma Yoga). Through these means the soul of man can directly approach and cast itself into the Eternal.
4 There is also a fourth system. It is a Tantric system. Though this system is less subtle and spiritually profound, it is even more bold and forceful than the synthesis of Gita. The Tantric system seizes even upon the obstacles to the spiritual life and compels them to become the means for a richer spiritual conquest. It enables us to experience the whole of Life in our divine scope as the Lila of the Divine. In some directions the Tantric system is more immediately rich and fruitful. It brings forward into the foreground the secrets also of the Hatha and Raja Yogas. This it does along with divine knowledge, divine works and an enriched devotion of the divine Love. It makes use of the body and of mental askesis for the opening up of the divine life on all its planes. To these aspects, the Gita gives only a passing and perfunctory attention.

Most importantly, Geeta grasps at the idea of divine perfectibility of man. This idea was possessed by the Vedic Rishis but thrown into the background by the intermediate ages. This idea is destined to fill a very large space in any future synthesis of human thought, experience and aspiration.

We at the coming day stand at the head of a new age of development. This new age must lead to such a new and larger synthesis. In this march towards the new age, we are not called upon to be orthodox Vedantins of any of the three schools or Tantrics. We need not adhere to one of the theistic religions of the past. We need not even entrench ourselves within the four corners of the teaching of the Gita. That will amount to limit ourselves and to attempt to create our spiritual life out of the being, knowledge and nature of others – of the men of the past. We need to build our spiritual life out of our own being and potentialities. We do not belong to the past dawns but to the noons of the future. A mass of new material is flowing into us. Certainly we have to assimilate the influences of the great theistic religions of India and of the world. We have also to incorporate a recovered sense of the meaning of Buddhism. But more than that, we need to take full account of the potent though limited revelations of modern knowledge and seeking. And beyond that, the remote and dateless past which seemed to be dead is returning upon us with an effulgence of many luminous secrets long lost to the consciousness of mankind. This past is now breaking out again from behind the veil.

All this points out to a new, a very rich, a very vast synthesis. A fresh and widely embracing harmonization of our gains is both an intellectual and a spiritual necessity of the future. The past syntheses have taken those which preceded them for their starting point. Similarly the future synthesis must proceed from what the great bodies of realized spiritual thought and experience in the past have given. This will put the new synthesis on firm ground. Among these the Gita takes a most important place.

Therefore, our object in studying the Gita will NOT be any of the following :
Scholastic or academical scrutiny of its thought
To place its philosophy in the history of metaphysical speculation
To deal with it in the manner of the analytical dialectician
We approach it for help and light. Our aim must be to distinguish its essential and living message. We need to find in it the essence which humanity has to seize for its perfection and its highest spiritual welfare.
...................................... based on Sri Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita