█ Our approach in understanding Gita - 1.1
▀ ▄ ▀ Relevance of Gita in Today’s World and its practical benefits
Instead of getting into some ‘exclusive’ club of philosophists, 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 the academic aspect 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.
Our approach needs to be suitable to the mentality and spiritual needs of the present day ‘new age’ humanity.
▀ ▄ ▀ Noting the pitfalls of our approach
In the process of making our discussion more practical and relevant for today’s times, we need to realise that there is a danger of ‘diluting’ the wisdom as contained in the original scripture. 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. But then anyway this type of susceptibility was also there in the case of greater men before us. It is bound to happen.
Right Approach in Understanding of Gita
▀ ▄ ▀ Living in the Spirit of Gita
In order to rightly understand and then to present the true essence of Gita without falling prey to the above pitfalls, 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.
These are the main aims of writing the Scriptures. The rest is academic disputations or theological dogma.
▀ ▄ ▀ Scripture has to remain as relevant to today’s times
In order for any Scripture, religion, philosophy (and not just the Gita) to be of living importance to mankind, following criterions need to be fulfilled :
They need to be constantly renewed and revived and not allow them to get stale, rigid and morbid.
There has to be a continuous reshaping and development of their stuff of permanent truth in the light of changing circumstances
This process has to be done in the inner thought and spiritual experience of a developing humanity and not just restricted to the intellectual exercise.
.......... to contnue
Comments